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eerdmans-Sevensma Co. 

PUBLISHERS 
GRAND RAPIDS. MICHIGAN 




Class 

Book 

GoipightNl 



COEXRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



KNICKERBOCKER SERIES 
A HOLLAND-AMERICAN LIBRARY 




PUBLISHED BY EERDMANS-SEVENSMA CO. 
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., IN THE YEAR MCMXX 



THINGS of the SPIRIT 

Meditations on Spiritual Life 
and Prayer 



BY 

REV. P. J. HOEKENGA 

With Introduction by REV. I. VAN DELLEN. 




EERDMANS-SEVENSMA CO. 
GRAND RAPIDS . MICHIGAN 






"Now we have received, not the spirit of 
the world, but the spirit which is of God; 
that we might know the things that are 
freely given to us of God. 

"Which things also we speak, not in 
words which man's wisdom teacheth, but 
which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing 
spiritual things with spiritual. 

"But the natural man receiveth not the 
things of the Spirit of God: for they are 
foolishness unto him: neither can he know 
them, because they are spiritually dis- 
cerned." 

1 Cor. 2:12-14 



Copyrighted 1920 by Eerdmans-Sevensma Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 

■©C;!.A570673 
JUL 14 1920 



PREFATORY NOTE 



This little hook contains no technical treatise, 
hut practical Meditations on Spiritual Life and 
Prayer. 

They have appeared in The Banner in the 
years 1917 to 1919, with the exception of the elev- 
enth Meditation. A few changes have heen made 
to make them more suitahle for puhlication in 
hook form. 

The title, which covers the two suhjects of the 
Meditations, is taken from I Cor. 2: 12-1^, and the 
thought expressed in those verses of Scripture 
runs through every page of the hook. 

The appearance of the hook is largely due to 
repeated requests for a reprint of these Medita- 
tions; and the author is thankful for the assur- 
ance from several helievers, that his humhle ef- 
forts to write on ''Things of the Spirit" have heen 
a Messing to many. 

May the Lord he pleased to make his message 
contained in these pages, a Messing for many 
others. 

P. J. HOEKENGA 

Ripon, California, 
Christmas, 1919. 



CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION 

PART L THOUGHTS ON SPIRITUAL LIFE 

I. What Is Spiritual Life ? 
II. Beware of Substitutes. 

III. Normal Growth of Spiritual Life — Proper Food. 

IV. Normal Growth of Spiritual Life — Proper Atmosphere. 
V. Cultivation of Spiritual Life — Negatively. 

VI. Cultivation of Spiritual Life — Positively. 
VII. Important Means to Emphasize Spiritual Life. 
VIII. The Fruit of Spiritually Mindedness. 
IX. The Fruit of Spiritually Mindedness— It Is Life. 
X. The Fruit of Spiritually Mindedness — It Is Peace. 

PART II. THOUGHTS ON PRAYER 

XI. "Lord, Teach Us to Pray." 
XII. When Prayer Seems to Be Unheard. 

XIII. Importunate Prayer. 

XIV. Prayer Out of Season. 

XV. How Prayer May Be Hindered. 
XVI. Lack of Prayer — Our Carnal Nature as the Cause. 
XVII. Lack of Prayer — Satan as the Cause. 
XVIII. Lack of Prayer— The World as the Cause. 
XIX. Fixed Seasons of Prayer. 
XX. The Joy and Comfort of Prayer. 



INTRODUCTION 



It affords me great pleasure to introduce these 
Meditations on "Things of the Spirit'' by the Rev. P. 
J. Hoekenga. 

These "practical thoughts," as they are styled 
by the writer himself, remind me of some of the 
works of our old spiritual advisers as Brakel and 
others. For various reasons their books are not 
understood any more by the present generation. 
This fact may he deplored, but it cannot be denied. 
And now we need something which may take their 
place. We need guidance in the things treated in 
this volume. And it seems to me that the writer of 
these pages has succeeded in impressing on us the 
need of sounder and deeper spiritual life, and that 
his instructions and admonitions may be the means 
of teaching us "how to exercise all the functions of 
the renewed soul to the honor of God." 

Especially our young people should profit by 
perusing this series. I would suggest that con- 
sistories and parents present this volume to them 
upon public confession of faith. 

May the Lord bless these studies to the up- 
building of his Church. 

I. VAN DELLEN 



PART I 



THOUGHTS ON SPIRITUAL LIFE 



"To be spiritually minded is life and peace." 

Rom. 8: 6 



"Teach me, Lord, thy way of truth, 
And from it I will not depart; 
That I may steadfastly obey. 

Give me an understanding heart." 

Ps. 119. 



I 

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL LIFE? 



"That which is bom of the Spirit is 
spirit." John 3: 6 

There was a time when spiritual life was over-emphasized. 
About two hundred years ago, and a little less, one book after 
another was written on such subjects as "The Spiritual Man;" 
and also the preaching in churches of the Reformed type was 
much along the line of experimental Christianity." As al- 
ways, this extremely strong emphasis which was placed upon 
something which is essentially right, led to many wrong 
theories and practices. In some circles a very unwholesome 
atmosphere pervaded under the name of "experimental Chris- 
tianity" and "spiritual life," and before long the very opposite 
of true spirituality was often predominant. Extremes al- 
ways lead to opposite extremes. The history of the church 
proves, through many right things which turned out wrong, 
that it is always necessary to be mindful of the injunction of 
Scripture, "Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." 

The trouble with some people when they read the ad- 
monitions of Scripture concerning spiritual life, is, that they 
have a wrong conception of what it means to be spiritually 
minded. Spiritual life, with some people, is an artificial thing. 
It is put on, like one puts on a cloak. This is not always 
deliberate hypocrisy on their part. It is often a fundamental 
misunderstanding, which, under the influence of the carnal 
human mind, leads to an unspiritual spirituality, and often 
makes such people obnoxious to their fellow-christians as 
well as to the world. Nothing does more harm than the hot- 
bed variety of spiritual life; the plant that is forced to grow, 
and which has not the true vitality. 

Now, as it is undoubtedly true, that we live in an age of 
declension of spiritual life, which makes it necessary — highly 



16 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

necessary, indeed — to put greater emphasis on spiritual life, 
it seems best to first find out what is meant by spiritual life. 
A deepening and widening of spiritual life is something 
greatly needed by God^s people individually and by the church 
as a whole, but — lest we err with respect to the nature and 
character of this life — we must have a clear. Scriptural con- 
ception of what is meant by spiritual life. 

^ ^ ^ :fi ^ 

What then is Spiritual Life? Let us see. 

All creature is either dead or alive. There are therefore 
two classes of creatures. 

Creatures having no life are said to have inanimate ex- 
istence, while the otliers, the living creatures, have animate 
existence. Man belongs to the latter class. 

Yet man is from all other animate creatures distinguished 
in a wonderful way, in that he has a two-fold life. He has 
physical life, like plants and animals, but he also has spiritual 
life. Man is w^onderfully made in the image of God. He is 
body and soul. Flesh and blood, imbued with the physical life 
that is common to other animate creatures. And spirit, im- 
parted to him directly from God, which makes him a "living 
souF' (Gen. 2:7), and which makes him to be preeminently 
"the offspring of God" (Acts 17: 29). And this two-fold life 
of man belongs to God, who made him. Man truly lives when 
the functions of body and soul are properly exercised, which 
means that his whole being and ail his actions must find their 
goal in God. The capability to exercise the functions of the 
body in a proper way constitutes the physical life. The cap- 
ability to exercise the functions of the soul in a proper way 
constitutes the spiritual life. 

If nothing had interrupted the exerices of these functions 
of body and soul, there would be no need of "greater emphasis 
on spiritual life." Body and soul were properly related to 
one another and all the functions were adjusted right, so that 
the whole man did truly live. But sin interrupted the exer- 
cise of these functions of body and soul and turned their 
activity away from God. Sin deprived man of the capability 
of exercising these functions toward the proper end, and so 
"death came by sin, and passed upon all men" (Rom. 5: 12). 
Spiritual and physical death entered into the world when sin 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT If 

came in. Man has still a body, but its functions are no longer 
properly exercised. Man is not soulless, but the life of that 
soul is no longer a spiritual life. With respect to its proper 
functions and its true aim that life is gone: man is "dead in 
trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2: 1, 5; Col. 2: 13). The distorted 
functions of his soul are being exercised "according to the 
course of this world" (Eph. 2:2); he "minds the things of 
the flesh" (Rom. 8:5). 

So then, man by nature, through sin, has neither the de- 
sire nor the capability to live a spiritual life. Consequently 
it would be utter folly to tell such a person that he has need 
of greater emphasis on spiritual life. What he needs first is 
that life itself restored. Spiritual things cannot even be 
understood by the carnal mind because "they are spiritually 
discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14). The spiritual faculties and the 
spiritual sense must be restored before man can entertain 
spiritual ideas and aims. And this restoration is described in 
Scripture as a distinct and specific creation of God the Holy 
Spirit, a giving of new life (Eph. 2: 1, 5; John 3: 3-6). 

When speaking of Spiritual Life, we refer therefore to 
the capability of exercising those functions of the soul, which 
were supematurally renewed by the Holy Spirit, and by 
which the sinner who was dead in trespasses and sin, has be- 
come a new creature in Christ Jesus. 

Every true Christian has received this spiritual life. He 
can never lose it, for God never forsakes his own work. Gen- 
erally speaking therefore, all Christians are spiritual people. 

But the possession of spiritual life and living a spiritual 
life is not quite the same thing. The Bible repeatedly warns 
those who have received this spiritual life, against the danger 
of "walking after the flesh." This new life is sometimes 
under the influence of the carnal mind. Also there are many 
spiritual diseases, that will fasten themselves like parasites 
upon the new life, thereby weakening the capability of the 
renewed soul to exercise its proper functions. Though spirit- 
ual life as such is never lost, the spiritual apprehension, and 
the spiritually mindedness is easily lost. Then spiritual life 
is not lived, it is not active. 

When we say, that there is need of greater emphasis on 



18 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

spiritual life, we do not refer to the need of an analyzation 
of this life itself; we refer to the need of more realization of 
this life, both as to our subjective consciousness of it, and 
the actual revelation of that life in our Christian conduct. 
On that point there is a great lack in our days, as we shall 
see in the subsequent pages. Too much uncertainty as to 
whether we have this spiritual life. And this is largely due, 
I fear, to the fact that there is so little real spiritual ambi- 
tion; so little fervent desire to glorify God in our body and 
spirit, which are his; so little humble fear of God, which is 
true spirituality. 

And then, we should also remember, that God does not 
want us to be stationary in our spiritual life. We must 
increase in godliness. We must become more intimate with 
God and more devoted to his cause. As no man can go to 
the fountain and drink once for all, and take water enough 
for his whole life, so we also cannot live on grace once re- 
ceived; we must constantly go back to the source of life. 
Thus our spiritual life will become more and more the normal 
exerices of the renewed functions of our soul. We will ex- 
perience that "He giveth more grace," and that "to be spirit- 
ually minded is life and peace." 



II 
BEWARE OF SUBSTITUTES 



"But watch thou in all things." 

2 Tim. 4:5 

All good things are imitated. Or cheaper substitutes are 
offered in place of them. 

This is especially true of religious things. The very na- 
ture and value of religious things and of spiritual realities of 
religious things invites imitation. Not only does the devil 
try to imitate spiritual things, but also people do so. And 
very often Christians will accept a substitute for the real 
thing. This is so also with respect to spiritual life, as al- 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 19 

ready stated previously. It is against some of the substitutes 
that I wish to sound a warning of Paul to Timothy. 

A professor of Princeton Seminary speaks of three dis- 
tinctive types of Christianity. Corresponding to the three 
faculties of the soul, intellect, will and feeling, he designates 
them as intellectual, action and experiential types. As one 
of the three faculties predominates. Christians will belong to 
one of the three types. If our faculties are all properly bal- 
anced, as they should be, we will not belong to any particular 
class, however. But the fact remains, that nearly every 
Christian is leaning strongly toward one or the other of the 
three. And consequently his spiritual life is affected to no 
small degree. Yea, quite often one of those three types is 
looked upon as if it were what the Bible speaks of as spirit- 
ual life; and thus a very one-sided spiritual attitude is taken 
as a substitute for real spiritual life. 

This is a dangerous thing, and therefore to be guarded 
against. True spiritual life, as we have seen, is the capability 
and proper exercise of all the functions of the soul. So soon 
as one of them predominates over the others, the proper 
spiritual balance is lacking and spiritual life is no longer 
normal. In order to live the true, biblical kind of spiritual 
life we must not be one of any of the three types of Christians 
mentioned above, but our intellect, will and feeling must be 
properly blended into wholehearted devotion to God, which 
makes us a living sacrifice before Him. Read 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17. 

H: H: ^ ^ 4: 

Beware of the intellectual type of Christianity. The in- 
tellect is a powerful means of knowing God and of leading 
up to a real, healthy spiritual life, but nothing will do more 
mischief to one's spiritual life than relying upon the intellect. 
None are more vain, conceited and pleased with themselves 
than the Christians who think that knowing a few things is 
of principle importance. It is usually through the intellect 
that the devil does most of his mischief, and he does it also 
among Christian people along that line. Of course, I do not 
wish to detract one item from the importance of the intellect 
in relation to Christianity in general, and to true spiritual 
life in particular, but I mean to say, that Christianity is more 
than a fine theory, and real spiritual life is infinitely more 



20 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

than clear, intellectual conceptions of the doctrines of salva- 
tion. 

Even the most orthodox type of Christianity is not to be 
confused with genuine spirituality. I fear that orthodoxy 
makes many of our people an easy prey of the devil, for not 
a few boast of their orthodoxy, while their life does show 
very little, if any, of "a faith working through love,*' and 
humbly devoted to the cause of Christ. 

Intellect may be properly called the starting point of 
genuine spiritual life, but it must never be considered to be 
its completion. God grant, that our Christian people may 
become more intelligent with respect to "the faith one de- 
livered to the saints," but let us never think that a highly 
intelligent Christian is also of necessity a truly spiritual 
Christian. For when the intellect is strongly developed with- 
out being placed under the proper control of a humble faith, 
it will at best be a counterfeit of spirituality; it never is that 
spiritual mindedness, which is "life and peace." 

Beware also of the experiential type of Christianity. Much 
of so-called experiences and feelings are often merely 
imaginations run wild. Nothing looks so much like spiritual 
life than does much of this experiential type of Christianity, 
while in reality nothing is so little like it. A great deal of 
this kind of spirituality is merely put on; it is pretended and 
not real at all. And another great deal of it is the result of 
a religiously unbalanced mind. God does not want us to be 
unreasonably spiritual. "We have a reasonable service," 
says Paul. And we should remember that true spiritual life 
manifests itself in humbly serving God. Serving Him not 
necessarily in an unusual way, but serving Him in the 
quietude of our own home and in the common walks of life. 

This experiential type of Christianity is marked by a 
strong tendency to let the world drift to perdition, without 
so much as turning a finger for the salvation of sinners. The 
admonition to be "separate from the world" is taken as if it 
meant, that we must have nothing to do with the world in 
any way. This idea has led some people to go out into a 
desert and live the life of a recluse, and others have shut 
themselves up in monastaries. And today this same idea 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 21 

leads some people to shun everything that pertains to the 
ordinary things of social and economical life. They think 
that piety and spirituality consists in being religious indif- 
ferent as to what becomes of the world and the things of the 
world. And to them the highest degree of spiritual life is to 
live in a state of rapturous exaltation, in which the present^ 
earthly conditions are forgotten. Their so-called spirituality 
often borders on madness. 

The trouble with these people is, that they do not remem- 
ber why God has put his children in the world. God put us 
in the world, not to live a worldly life, but to live a true 
spiritual life in the midst of a "crooked and perverse people." 
As a writer says: "It is more to the honor of a Christian sol- 
dier by faith to overcome the world, than by a monastical 
vow to retreat from it, and more to the honor of Christ to 
serve Him in a city than in a cell." We shall never have a 
robust, strong, joyful spiritual life till we get out of this 
artificial, unnatural piety, and out of the narrow considera- 
tions of man-made spirituality. 

There is a place for solitariness in the true spiritual life, 
to be sure. We shall speak of that later. But as Christ did 
not pray to the Father to have his people taken out of the 
world, but to keep them from the evil (John 17: 13), so we 
must pray that by his grace we may live a spiritual life, 
while performing the common duties of life. 

What we need in order to be more spiritual is a firm 
grasp by faith upon the things eternal, and a clear view of 
their glorious reality and unlimited value. If we seek that, 
we shall obtain it, and having that, we can face the world 
and take our part in every-day life without the danger of 
being defiled thereby. 

H: ^ :!c ^ ^ 

Though I have urged you to think of spiritual life as a 
life full of action, yet I must also say: Beware of the action 
type of Christianity. By that I mean a type of Christianity 
which substitutes various religious activities for "faith work- 
ing through love." 

I fear that this action type is the prevailing type of Chris- 
tianity in our days. Under the motto of "practical Chris- 



22 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

tianity," and similar terms, we are confronted with a form of 
unspiritual and often unchristian Christianity, which is play- 
ing havoc everywhere. Doing this and that and the other 
tMng is considered to be genuine Christianity and conse- 
quently the highest type of spiritual life. People are run- 
ning their legs off nowadays to do certain things, which they 
themselves, or others, claim to be "of utmost religious im- 
portance," which in reality it has often nothing at all to do 
with our specific duties as Christians, or it is at the most 
only some little fruit of Christian love. 

At any rate, all that any man can ever do cannot take the 
place of that wholehearted devotion to God, which makes us 
an entire and living sacrifice for God, and which is true spirit- 
ual life. Spiritual life is not the doing of a thing merely, but 
it is the attitude of the soul toward God, which also prompts 
to doing, but which does not say much about what it has done. 
The action type of Christianity is often full of self -righteous- 
ness. It is trying to make a compromise between God and 
the sinful heart, and would satisfy the justice of God by a 
few small actions, which it considers of great value, while 
the Lord has said, "When ye shall have done all those things 
which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants: 
we have done that which was our duty to do." To live spirit- 
ually is to exercise all the functions of the soul, both out- 
wardly and inwardly, toward God and in fellowship with Him. 



Ill 

THE NORMAL GROWTH OF SPIRITUAL LIFE 

1. Proper Food 



"As new-bom babes, desire the sincere 
milk of the word, that ye may grow 
. thereby." 1 Pet. 2: 2 

When one puts emphasis on Spiritual Life, it is of utmost 
importance that he clearly understands what Spiritual Life 
actually is, otherwise he may unknowingly and unintention- 
ally emphasize a substitute and do more harm than good. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 23 

We have seen what Spiritual Life is and what it is not. 
It is not a pious consideration of heaven and heavenly things 
merely, nor does it consist in being very serious and in talk- 
ing much about the wickedness of the world and the holiness 
of God. It is not any special type of Christianity, and least 
of all that type which makes a pretense of being particularly 
spiritual. No Spiritual Life — let us not forget it — is noth- 
ing more and nothing less than a life in which all the faculties 
of the soul are properly blended into wholehearted devotion 
to God. 

Another thing that must be remembered well is, that 
Spiritual Life is from above, that it is a creation of the Holy 
Spirit, by which a sinner who is dead in trespasses and sin 
becomes a new creature, and is by virtue of that divine re- 
creation of his soul capable to exercise the functions of his 
soul properly. The fact that this truth is often overlooked 
accounts for a great deal of false spirituality, and for not 
a little spiritual misery. There are too many wrong concep- 
tions of what Spiritual Life is. Remember, a spiritual man 
is a man renewed and enlightened by the Spirit; he has 
spiritual life in contrast with the former carnal life. And 
spiritual living is to live in conformity with the character and 
purpose of this spiritual life. 

As all other life. Spiritual Life is destined to grow. Life 
cannot be stagnant. It goes down if it does not grow up. It 
gets weaker if it does not grow stronger. In emphasizing 
Spiritual Life we should especially emphasize this fact, that 
it must grow. It must increase and expand. It must grow 
deeper and broader. Knowledge, righteousness and holiness 
must increase, both inwardly and outwardly. The spiritual 
man must not be satisfied with the assurance that Jesus is 
his and that he goes to heaven by and by; he must seek to 
grow in order "that the man of God may be perfect, fur- 
nished completely unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3: 17). 

And this normal gi?owth of Spiritual Life is made possible 
by God. He has made special provision for it. Its growth is 
not acquired by acting more spiritual, or trying to be more 
spiritual. Spiritual Life needs the proper food and air, which 
God has ordained for it. The nourishment of the Word of 
God, and the atmosphere of the presence of God: these are 



24 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

needed for the growth of Spiritual Life. This must be em- 
phasized. 

The Word of God is Food. It is the only food for the nor- 
mal growth of Spiritual Life. Throughout the Bible we are 
taught to "eat" the Word of God, and to "drink" it; and the 
increase and normal growth of Spiritual Life is conditional 
upon the proper and regular use of the Word of God. It is 
the never-failing storehouse of spiritual nourishment, and if 
you wish your Spiritual Life to grow, you must turn away 
from all food substitutes and subsist on the Word of God en- 
tirely. Assimilate the Word of God, believers. Search the 
Scriptures; dig deep into them. God speaks through his 
Word. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word. So 
then you must read it thoughtfully, systematically, rev- 
erently, believingly and prayerfully. If you would grow 
in the grace and knowledge of the truth, and in Spiritual Life, 
do not read your Bible in any other way than this. "Receive 
with meekness the engrafted Word." Put all confidence in 
it; have all expectation from it. Get steeped in Scripture. 
Get saturated through with the divine Word of God. 

Just read what a few men of God testify concerning the 
Bible as food for their spiritual life. Jeremiah, the prophet 
of sorrow, says: "Thy words were found and I did eat them; 
and thy word was unto me joy and rejoicing of my heart" 
(15: 16). Job declares, "I have esteemed the word of his 
mouth more than my necessary food" (23: 12). The Psalm- 
ist prays, "Strengthen Thou me according to thy word" (119: 
28), and he declares also, "How sweet are thy words unto my 
taste, yea sweeter than honey to my mouth" (119: 103). And 
one of the clearest admonitions and assurances concerning 
the Word of God as food for Spiritual Life, is found in 1 
Peter 2:2: "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of 
the word, that ye may grow thereby." 

More of the Bible is what is needed. There is no food 
scarcity with God, but we must come to the storehouse of 
God to obtain our full rations. Spiritual Life is weak and 
waning in many instances, because people live on short ra- 
tions; they use substitutes, instead of the sincere milk of 
the word, the unadulterated food. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 25 

What is true of personal and individual searching and as- 
similation of Scripture, is also appliable to the preaching of 
the Word. Preachers are in a certain sense food distributors. 
They are to "handle" the Word of God. They are the "stew- 
ards" of the Lord, by Him "made ruler over his household, 
to give them their portion of meat in due season;" and the 
Lord expects them to be diligent in doing so (Matt. 24:45; 
Luke 12: 42). Now it is a sad fact, that many people do not 
want the proper food dished up for them in the preaching, 
but I fear it also is a sad fact, that many who do want it, 
do not get it. And the greater fault lies with the preacher, 
for it is his business to be "so doing." He must give food to 
the souls. Food in a way in which they can assimilate it. 

I sometimes fear that some orthodox preachers are more 
Bible analysts than "ministers of the Word." They are more 
engaged in showing people the costly stones of the tem- 
ple of Reformed doctrine than in leading people to the 
inner court, to hear the voice of God. Some preaching 
seems to be rather formal and cold, and not very well 
suited to whet the spiritual appetite and to nourish spirit- 
ual life. When Peter's commission to be the Lord's am- 
bassador was renewed, he was told three times to feed the 
Lord's flock. And he was to feed both, the Iambs and the 
sheep (John 21: 15-17). This is very significant. The preach- 
er's business is primarily to feed those entrusted to his care. 
And the food is the Word of God. A little less of the spices 
of human reasoning and more of the Bible would be better in 
many instances. It would promote the growth of Spiritual 
Life. Man can't improve upon God's own regulations. It is 
not simply the question whether it is true what we preach; 
it is also the question whether it is food. People must be led 
to the sanctuary of God's holy Word, and we must endeavor 
to make them sit down and eat and drink. Surely, a preacher 
must be a thorough and logical exponent of the Bible, but 
again, he must educate his people toward true Spirituality; 
he must cultivate that insight in the truth, which sees more 
than the smooth surface of logic and sound reasoning; he 
must not merely be intellectually energetic, but spiritually 
minded, and his aim must be to lead his people to a fuller 



26 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

consecration of their whole being to the God of their salva- 
tion. 

Jesus, speaking of scribes who are "instructed unto the 
kingdom of heaven," says, that they are "like unto a man 
that is an householder which bringeth forth out of his treas- 
ure things new and old" (Matt. 13: 32). The "treasure" re- 
fers to what by diligent and consecrated study of the Word 
of God he has acquired and can offer the others; "new and 
old things" refers to the variety and abundance of the truth 
stored away. The whole has reference, of course, to the 
Word of God. And the fact that he is likened unto an "house- 
holder" is a very clear and forceful indication of the fact, 
that he must bring forth these new and old things in the 
form of food, for the word denotes a man who has charge of 
the household, and particularly has reference to his duty to 
supply every member of the household with proper food. 
Surely, ministers of the Gospel should consider this very 
seriously. They are to feed the people. They must feed them 
with the Word, that they may be educated unto spirituality, 
and that their Spiritual Life may grow. 



IV 

THE NORMAL GROWTH OF SPIRITUAL LIFE 

2. Proper Atmosphere 



"It is good for me to draw near to God: 
I have put my trust in the Lord God." 

Ps. 73:28 

As we have seen, all life is dependent for its normal 
growth upon two things: proper food and proper air. These 
two are equally important. A plant in rich soil, but in a 
place where it lacks light and sunshine, will not grow nor- 
mally and cannot yield fruit. The same is true of a plant 
which is put in a good atmosphere, but which is not rooted 
in good soil. This rule also holds with respect to our physical 
life. Our bodies need nourishing food, but also healthy air 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 27 

and sunshine. Deprive them of one of the two and the re- 
sult will soon be evident. 

Now, this is even more true with respect to Spiritual Life. 
The spiritual finds its type in the material and physical. Or, 
to speak with Drummond, the natural law applies to the 
spiritual world. Spiritual Life needs the Word of God for 
food, as we saw previously. And it needs the presence of 
God for the atmosphere. It cannot thrive and become strong 
and vigorous unless it lives in the presence of God. A soul 
may be fed on the best of food, properly prepared and pre- 
sented, but Spiritual Life will not grow normally unless that 
soul lives in God^s presence. It must breath the air of 
heaven. 

It needs no argument to show that a great many Chris- 
tians are not living close to God. Evidently many professed 
Christians live a great distance away from God. They are 
not in spiritual touch with Him. Ah, I fear that most Chris- 
tians are out of the clear sunshine of the presence of God. 
To say the least, most Christians are not near unto God. And 
consequently, their Spiritual Life is weak; they falter along, 
and many of them fall faint by the wayside. Alas, not a 
few are "greatly diminished" in strength, and would fall 
away entirely if not the "gifts and the calling of God were 
without repentance." 

What is the reason that many of God's children do not 
live in the proper spiritual atmosphere? Why are they not 
"near unto God" ? Why are they living on the mere surface 
of Christian life? Why are they not growing in Spiritual 
Life? 

Alas, many Christians do not seem to know what is the 
reason. They are not satisfied with their condition. They 
often wish it were different. They are, perhaps, often pray- 
ing for an increase of Spiritual Life. Yet, they do not seem 
to know where the real trouble lies. In fact, many of them 
seem to think that perhaps God has so willed it, that their 
Spiritual Life remains weak and dwarfed. 

The trouble with many of God's children is the same as it 
was with one of my dear brethren in Christ, who once wrote 



28 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

to me: "Oh, if God would reveal himself to me once more; 
but he seems so far away." I wrote him back as I am writ- 
ing now: We need no new revelation of God, but we need the 
old-time communion with God. God does not reveal himself 
to anyone in particular, but He revealed himself to all his 
children. And there is nothing mysterious about that reve- 
lation of God; it is all plainly and definitely given in God's 
Word. We must feed upon that Word, as shown in our pre- 
vious meditation. And then, we must also follow the direc- 
tions of that Word for getting in touch with God. My friend 
was mistaken in thinking that God was "so far away." The 
trouble was, that he was far away from God. God is always 
there. He "will never leave nor forsake" us. But we wander 
away. We are chosing paths of our own and thus we get 
away from God. That is where the sin lies. It is our fault, 
not God's. 

And that must be admitted and confessed. All the wish- 
ing that some Christians do that they may be nearer to God 
will be of no avail unless they admit that the fault of their 
being away from God is theirs. They are breathing impure 
air by having turned away from God. They allowed things to 
stand between their soul and the Lord, and the current of 
life and light from above was interrupted thereby. There is 
the real trouble. 

Don't try to get your feelings worked up and your emo- 
tions stirred in order to get back into the spiritual atmos- 
phere. Don't look for any strange, mysterious thing to hap- 
pen by which you are brought back into the presence of God. 
No, God is speaking to you in his Word. Listen to his voice. 
Meditate on it. Obey it. Paul writes to Timothy: "Meditate 
on these things; give thyself wholly to them." Remember, 
"we have a reasonable service." And the closest fellowship 
with God is along the lines laid down in his own Word. Thus 
you become intimate with God; you breath the purified air; 
your Spiritual Life is in the right atmosphere; it can and will 
grow. 

The directions of the Word of God, which must be fol- 
lowed if we would get near unto God, are especially two. The 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 29 

first is, that we must "draw near to God." The Psalmist 
realized this when, after sinful wanderings away from God, 
when his "feet were almost gone" and his "steps had well 
nigh slipped," he said: "It is good for me to draw near to 
God" (Ps. 73:28). 

To draw near to God implies, that we must draw away 
from other things. In order to give our whole attention to 
God; to be "spiritually minded," we must make a determined 
effort to get away from the common, carnal things of life 
for a while. We must stop in the way and turn aside from 
the beaten track of worldly-mindedness, which is so much fol- 
lowed by Christians. The rush and hurry of this age of 
secularity, the unprofitable things of this life, have occupied 
us so much that we have become like children who have for- 
gotten the voice of their Father. Now as Moses, who turned 
aside to see why the bush burned and was not consumed, and 
who then heard the voice of God and got very near to Him, 
so we must cultivate the habit of looking for God and of 
turning to Him and listening for his voice. 

Get away a little, my Christian friends, whose life is so 
barren and spiritually impoverished — get away a little from 
the things which control your mind, will and affections, and 
let God's voice reach your soul. Let the Spirit guide you; 
grieve Him not by carnal mindedness or by pretended piety: 
"draw near unto God and He will be near unto you." Say 
then: I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will 
speak unto his people and to his saints; but let them not 
turn again to folly" (Ps. 85:8). And you will not do this 
and say this in vain. 

Another direction of the Word of God, to be followed if 
we would be near unto God, is prayer. Prayer is more than 
asking certain favors. Prayer is communion with God; it is 
speaking to God who spoke to us. It is the giving of praise 
and thanks for all the benefits of God toward us. But espe- 
cially the fact that prayer is direct communion with God 
makes it so important for the growth of Spiritual Life. (See 
Part II, Thoughts on Prayer.) The very purpose of drawing 
near unto God is to commune with Him in prayer. It is when 
we talk with God that we breath the air through which Spirit- 



30 ' THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

ual Life will grow. It also is while we pray that both the 
attractions of the world and the perplexities of life, which 
cause Spiritual Life to be weak, are removed. Nothing, in 
fact, is so important in the growth of Spiritual Life than to 
give much thought and attention to our prayers. 

Let our prayers not be formal and artificial, but the ut- 
terance with the lips of faith of the inmost desires of a soul 
that is longing for God's presence. Let us not pray with 
over-strained nerves and hurried mind, but in meekness and 
with thoughtful heart. Truly humble prayers, prayers of 
faith, will have marvelous results with respect to Spiritual 
Life. They will flood that life with the sunshine of the 
presence of our God. They will drive away the mists of sin 
and the gloom of doubt, and will cause us to go on our way 
rejoicing, and singing as we go: 

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High 
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. v 

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; 
My God; in Him will I trust." 



THE CULTIVATION OF SPIRITUAL LIFE 
!• Negatively 



"Keep thy heart with all diligence; 
for out of it are the issues of life." 

Prov. 4: 23 

The normal growth of life depends upon proper food and 
air. This is true also of Spiritual Life, as we have seen in 
the two previous meditations. The proper food for Spiritual 
Life is the Word of God, and the proper air is the presence 
of God. It is of supreme importance to emphasize these 
facts. 

But just as a plant in good soil and in the proper atmos- 
phere has also need of special care in order to promote its 

/ 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 31 

growth, so Spiritual Life needs special care. It must be cul- 
tivated. The weeds must be cut down, and all hindrance must 
be removed. And he who would have his Spiritual Life in- 
crease in stature, strength and usefulness, must "think on 
the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of 
good report" (Phil. 4: 6). The cultivation of Spiritual Life 
therefore must be both negative and positive. 

The Negative Cultivation of Spiritual Life consists in 
combating everything that might interfere with the proper 
exercise of all the functions of the soul. A great many things 
are to Spiritual Life, what weeds and insects are to plant life. 
Spiritual life may be killed — not in its essence, but in its ac- 
tion and in the consciousness of it — ^by any one of a number 
of things, of which we shall enumerate a few of the most 
harmful. 



The greatest danger to Spiritual Life is lurking in so- 
called "little sins." Little sins sap the life of many souls. 
Little sins keep many Christians far away from God. Little 
sins keep Spiritual Life very low. And the dangerous part 
of them is their littleness. 

Great, glaring sins are abhorred by a Christian. He 
knows they are terrible in their nature and in their result. 
He would not think of committing them. The desire to com- 
mit them already makes him feel ashamed of himself. 

Not so, however, with numerous "little sins;" sins of 
thought, word or action, which have the general stamp of 
approval, and are usually not even considered as sins. These 
little irregularities, which are usually considered to be small 
flaws of character or habit, and which everybody thinks are 
rather harmless, these are things that make it impossible for 
the Spiritual Life to grow and to exert itself. They are very 
dangerous because they are easily overlooked. 

It does not matter much just what these sins are. They 
are too many to enumerate. What we must remember is, 
that they are damaging to Spiritual Life. When one or 
more of these so-called little sins is cherished, the result is 
most disastrous. 



32 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

When people speak of any sins as "little sins," they make 
several mistakes, of which the following are some. One mis- 
take is that they forget that there are in reality no "little 
sins." Every sin is terribly great when one considers that 
God says: "Be ye holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy." 
Little sins also despise the holiness and majesty of God. Lit- 
tle sins also disregard God's will. Another mistake that peo- 
ple make when speaking of "little sins" is that they forget 
that these little sins always lead to greater sins. The little 
sins themselves grow larger as the habit fastens itself upon 
the soul, and they also are stepping-stones to other and 
greater sins. Then also, people forget, that many little sins 
make one big mass, just as many snowflakes accumulate to 
such an extent that they bury trains and travelers when they 
roll down the mountain side. Watch the little sins, and de- 
stroy them root and branch. Don't handle them tenderly 
with silken gloves, but fight them rather with the mailed 
fist. If you don't take them, they will take you. And they 
certainly keep your Spiritual Life down. 

Another very harmful thing to Spiritual Life — and which 
must be banished — is worldly-mindedness. By that I do not 
mean so much participation in worldly affairs and sinful 
doing, as I mean a certain attitude of the mind, which thinks 
too favorable of the world, and which often follows the same 
line of thought that worldly people do. " 

It is that sort of worldly-mindedness which is found 
abundantly among Christians. They have no particular con- 
scious. Christian life- and v/orld-view. They do not realize 
that God's people are a "peculiar people" in every way, and 
that they must be distinct from the world in practically every 
sphere of life. They do not realize that Spiritual Life im- 
plies spiritual living in every respect; so that a Christian will 
think different and act different and have a different aim than 
the person that has not this new life within him. 

There is by far too much of that kind of worldly-minded- 
ness in our circles. Many things are done and said in our 
circles that have been taken over from the world, without 
questioning their character, simply because they look good. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 33 

We should not be narrow-minded, but more tenderness of 
conscience would greatly benefit Spiritual Life. 
***** 

There is a third evil which greatly harms Spiritual Life, 
and to which I referred before: religious formality. I do not 
mean to say that religious forms are not necessary, but I do 
mean to say, that they are not essential. Too much is often 
made of certain religious forms and customs. Sometimes, I 
fear, everything is made of them. I know of people who 
testified that this religious formality was so strong with 
them that they had often been guilty of thoughtless partici- 
pation in religious exercises at home and church. 

Beware of mere formality. As the Lord considered the 
heart of the Israelite more than He did the offering which 
the Israelite brought to the altar, so even now "the Lord 
looketh on the heart." How can Spiritual Life grow when 
our religious activity is but dead formality? The presence 
of the ark in the camp of Israel, with its subsequent capture 
by the Philistines, teaches us that formality is useless with- 
out the spiritual reality back of it. But let the forms be the 
means of giving expression of what i& in the heart and they 
will be conducive to the growth of Spiritual Life. 

A fourth evil which is very detrimental to Spiritual Life 
is selfishness. There is not a more pitiable person than the 
one who is religiously selfish, who is thinking only of his 
own comfort, who does not recognize the fact that, if he is 
a Christian at all, he is one of many: a member of the body 
of Christ. Sometimes such Christians are very pious, but, 
after all, their piety is hypocritical. Whenever you meet a 
Christian who is always looking after his own comfort and 
interest, who only cares for what he gets out of the sermon, 
who is paying little or no attention to fellow-believers, you 
can just make up your mind that he is utterly selfish. Even 
his Christian piety is selfishness. That person is to be 
pitied, for selfishness is suicidal. Instead of promoting the 
growth of his own Spiritual Life, he is choking it in selfish- 
ness. 



34 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

Christianity would destroy selfishness, and if any Chris- 
tian fosters it, he is under the displeasure of God, and his 
Spiritual Life is very low. 

The selfish man also sins against his fellow-believers, for 
while he should seek the welfare of the whole body of Christ, 
he is only seeking to promote the interest of one member. He 
thereby retards the progress of Spiritual Life in his fellow- 
members of Christ's body. 

Let every Christian, by God's grace, root out the obnox- 
ious, poisonous plant of selfishness, and let each individual 
member seek the welfare of every other member. *^Look not 
every man on his own things, but every man also on the 
things of others" (Phil. 2:4). The summary of a Christian's 
life, in respect to his fellow-believers, should be self-sacrifice. 
Then his own Spiritual Life will be promoted. Try it. 

^ H: $ H: ^ 

Finally, the progress of Spiritual Life is often hindered 
by being too much absorbed in the daily affairs of life. Some 
Christians are building up a business at the expense of their 
Spiritual Life; they don't remember that business should be 
religion, and religion should be business. They sever the 
two and are consequently depriving themselves of the 
strength they need to reach spiritual maturity. 

A man's supreme purpose in life is to glorify God, and if 
a Christian does not apply this divine rule to his business 
life, he will keep his Spiritual Life down to the stature of 
infancy. On the other hand, a person can be a great man 
in business and also attain progress in Spiritual Life, if only 
he has God as his partner and the Bible as his business guide. 

Also, it should be remembered, that a small business is 
equally harmful to Spiritual Life as a big business, when the 
affections are set on it. In fact, we need not be engaged in 
any business whatsoever; we may be a common laborer, or 
a clerk, or it may be a Christian woman tending to the af- 
fairs of the household, or even a minister of the Gospel, pas- 
turing his flock — if the heart and affections are unduly set 
on these things, they will be a hindrance to the normal growth 
of Spiritual Life. In regard to the daily affairs of life the 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 35 

admonition of the proverb should be heeded: "Keep thy heart 
with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." 



VI 

THE CULTIVATION OF SPIRITUAL LIFE 

2. Positively 



"Set your affections on things above." 



Col. 3:2 

Plants must be cultivated negatively by the removal of 
all that may obstruct their growth; and positively by render- 
ing the soil more productive. Thus the growth of the plant 
is promoted. 

The same method of cultivation must be employed with 
respect to the plant of Spiritual Life. The things that must 
be weeded out because they interfere with the growth of 
Spiritual Life are, as we have seen, "little sins," worldly- 
mindedness, religious formality, selfishness and the daily af- 
'fairs of life. This is the negative side of the cultivation of 
Spiritual Life, but is far more important than most Chris- 
tians seem to think. Wherever these weeds are growing 
Spiritual Life cannot grow. 

Besides removing and combating the evils that easily pre- 
vent the growth of Spiritual Life, there are a number of 
things that might be done, and should be done to promote 
its growth. Let us consider a few of the most important of 
these. To properly attend to these things may be said to 
form the positive side of the cultivation of Spiritual Life. 
And so important is this that it cannot be emphasized too 
strongly. To be active in these things is to be "spiritually 
minded." 

To positively promote the growth of our Spiritual Life 
it is of foremost importance that believers remember that 



36 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

"our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20 R. V.). More 
literally this means that the state or commonwealth that 
Christians belong to, and to which they are all bound by the 
same laws, is in heaven. They are citizens of that heavenly 
world. They are governed by, and should be obedient to, the 
laws of the heavenly commonwealth. They must remember 
that there are two communities of people in the world: mere 
earthly communities, which form political states and are 
governed by earthly laws, and heavenly communities, partly 
in heaven itself and partly still here below, which together 
form the great heavenly commonwealth. And the latter is 
far more important than the first. 

To be a heavenly citizen does not make a person a bad 
citizen of the worldly state in which he lives. On the con- 
trary, it makes him a better citizen of the country to which 
he belongs. It makes him to be more loyal, and to seek the 
true welfare of his country to his utmost ability. 

But the heavenly commonwealth is his true and eternal 
home. His King is in heaven, and he looks for Him to come 
from heaven to assemble the scattered citizens of the heav- 
enly commonwealth. His mind must dwell on the heavenly 
Jerusalem, so that his desires become more heavenly and less 
earthly. He must "seek the things above, where Christ sit- 
teth at the right hand of God." He must "set his affection on 
things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3: 1-4). 

I read that a man who had been in Jerusalem, while talk- 
ing with the great William Humboldt about what he had 
seen there, found out that Humboldt knew more about it 
than he himself, and in great surprise asked him: "How long 
ago were you there?" Humboldt replied: "I was never there, 
but I expected to go sixty years ago, and I prepared myself." 
That is just what every Christian should do with respect to 
the heavenly Jerusalem. And so much more so, because it 
is his "mother" (Gal. 4: 26); he belongs there; it is his future 
home. Also, because his nearest relatives are there or are 
going there, for believers are "fellow-citizens with the saints, 
and of the household of God" (Eph. 2: 19). 

Our whole conduct should betray us as heaven-bred and 
heaven-destined. People should take notice of it, that we 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 37 

are strangers here below. We must keep in constant com- 
munication with heaven. And we must daily read the cor- 
respondence that reaches us from there. Then Spiritual Life 
will grow, and we will be "strong in the Lord and in the 
power of his might." 



Secondly, we must seek the "Communion of the Saints," 
the fellowship of believers. Those who are of the same 
household of faith that we are of must be dear to us; we 
must seek their company and promote their spiritual as well 
as physical welfare. We are of the same family. We are, 
with them, strangers of this world and co-heirs of heaven. 
We are traveling the same road. We shall stand before the 
same Christ in glory. We shall sing the same song of re- 
demption. We shall together praise the Redeemer through- 
out eternity. We have all these things in common, and there- 
fore we belong together. We must share each others bur- 
dens and joys. We must live as a community of strangers 
who seek each others company. We must love one another 
and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

Thus we will be cultivating our own Spiritual Life, and 
a wonderful increase of growth will be the result. For this 
"communion of saints," carried on in the every-day life, will 
form them together as an army against all assaults of the 
enemy. And the Spirit of God, who dwells richly where be- 
lievers live in fellowship, will manifest himelf by many 
tokens of his presence and grace. 



Thirdly, believers must definitely and purposely spend 
some time in meditation upon things spiritual. There is per- 
haps no greater lack in our day among believers than quiet 
meditation. We are in a continual rush and hurry. Even our 
Bible-reading and prayer is often done in a hurry. As one 
has said, "We are jostled out of our spirituality." We think 
of spiritual things in a hurry and at odd moments, or per- 
haps when we are sick and can^t be about our daily business. 
We are often living out of touch with God, and this is largely 
due to our hurried state of mind. 



38 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

Believers, take time to thing of God and spiritual things. 
Nothing is ever accomplished by a hurried thought. Only 
when we apply ourselves to the task is anything accom- 
plished. This is also our duty with respect to spiritual 
things. "Think on these things," says God. And that means 
that meditation must be a habit. Our whole mind must be 
trained for it. 

The whole truth of God must be the subject of our medi- 
tation. But there are certain things of special importance 
that demand our attention and should be meditated upon. 
There is God himself. The great, transcendent God, whom 
we cannot comprehend, but of whom the believer should be 
able to truthfully say, "My meditation of Him shall be sweet" 
(Ps. 104: 34). There are the wonderful attributes of God, 
revealed in nature and in the realm of grace, all speaking of 
his wisdom, power and holiness; his mercy, truth and jus- 
tice. And there are the majestic works of God: the works of 
creation and providence, and the works of regeneration, sanc- 
tification and complete salvation. There is the wonderful 
plan of God for man's salvation. There is the blessed Word 
of God; his revelation of grace, comprising both promises 
and exhortations. What a limitless and pleasant field for 
meditation. There is the subject of the glory that awaits us; 
when we shall see Him face to face, in Christ our Lord. And 
that without end. These, and many more things, may be 
profitable and pleasant themes for meditation. And that 
meditation is wonderfully productive of growth in Spiritual 
Life. In the quiet moments of meditation the Holy Spirit 
will do his work and give us the increase for which every 
truly God-fearing soul longs. 

Finally, in order to grow we must be active. Try to do 
something for God's Kingdom and in his Church. Too many 
Christians seem to think that the Church is an institution 
merely for their benefit. They forget that it also is a train- 
ing school for laborers. Do something in the Church. Take 
an active part in everything in which everybody is expected 
to take part. Take a special part wherever you can, for God 
has given different talents. And none is without his talent. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 39 

Do something, if it is only to be an usher, or to talk to 
the strangers within the gates. Do something; go about in 
a quiet, unobserved way, but do something. Live a helpful 
life and your life will be helped. If you cannot be with the 
soldiers at the front, you can plow and reap at home. If you 
cannot be a general in the Lord^s army, you can be a pri- 
vate. If you can never shine like a great hero, you may still 
be useful in a quiet, obscure way; and who knows but that 
the reward of the King will be the same as that of those 
that were "considered pillars in the church." 

All you have to do is to believe that you are placed where 
you are, and received the talents that you have, by divine 
appointment and then go and do what you see before you. 
Begin where you can; if you can't speak to a great multitude, 
you may be able to speak to one family or, at least, to a little 
child. If you can't speak to those that are well, go to those 
that are sick. 

Do something! Find your work and do it. The exercise 
of doing the thing that is your appointed task will be the 
exercise of your own Spiritual Life, and will promote its 
growth. Be active and you will grow, providing you are ac- 
tive in unselfish devotion to the cause of God and the welfare 
of others. 



VII 

IMPORTANT MEANS TO EMPHASIZE 
SPIRITUAL LIFE 



"According as each hath received a 
gift, even so minister the same one to 
another, as good stewards of the mani- 
fold grace of God," 1 Pet. 4: 10 

That Spiritual Life needs to be emphasized is indisput- 
able. Every Christian whose heart longs for God and his 
presence, who is "spiritually minded," will feel this need. 

How is this to be done? Are there any special means to 



40 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

emphasize Spiritual Life? And who are responsible in this 
respect? These are some of the questions which perhaps 
some readers have in their mind, and which I hope to answer 
in this meditation. 

There are evidently three special means to emphasize 
Spiritual Life: the Christian pulpit, the Christian press and 
personal conduct. Great responsibility rests therefore with 
the preacher, the writer and the individual Christian. 

^ :^ ^ i^ ^ 

The pulpit is the place where greater emphasis must be 
placed upon Spiritual Life. And the preacher is the man 
who must do it, and upon whom therefore rests a great re- 
sponsibility. 

I am not now referring to preachers who deem the Bible 
a worn out book, and who read Tennyson in the pulpit in 
preference to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These blind lead- 
ers of the blind know not what Spiritual Life means; how 
then can they emphasize it? I refer to the pulpit which is 
occupied — ^thank God — by a man to whom the whole Word 
of God is "yea and amen." I refer to the thoroughly ortho- 
dox preacher. From such a pulpit, and by such a preacher, 
great emphasis must be placed upon Spiritual Life. 

The preaching must not be orthodox merely, but it must 
also be heart-searching and exhortative. It must contain 
real food, properly prepared, and the great aim should be to 
cultivate such insight in the truth that it may be reasonably 
expected that, with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the 
preaching shall be conducive to growth in Spiritual Life. 
The pulpit must not only satisfy the intellect, but also the 
healthy and natural hunger of souls that long to be in the 
presence of God. 

I think that a little less speculative reasoning, and a little 
less meddling with controversial topics, would greatly benefit 
Spiritual Life of both, the preacher and those preached to. 
What a man said of a religious paper can be said of many 
sermons, I fear: "What it contains is all true, but it lacks 
fragrance, or spiritual flavor." And what an earnest and ap- 
preciative church-member wrote to me some years ago as he 
was visiting somewhere is, alas, all too true of much preach- 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 41 

ing yet: "There is something lacking in his sermons.... 

They are instructive, but hard to follow Nothing in it to 

arrest the attention of young people," etc. A sermon may 
comply with the rules for sermonizing; it may be excellent 
in conception, in division, in language, in logic, and yet lack 
the spiritual flavor which a good sermon should have. The 
holy fire of consecration to God that is to kindle the pews 
and be carried out into the lives must be started in the pul- 
pit. And you can only start it and kindle it in the hearts of 
others by a warm and tender presentation of the cross of 
Christ. 

That is w^hat the preacher should keep in mind. And he 
should also keep in mind that the true spiritual fragrance in 
his sermons, which his people need and long for, can only 
come through the spiritual condition of his own heart. The 
preacher himself must live in the presence of God and be 
fully consecrated to Him, or his preaching will "lack some- 
thing." Preaching without the spiritual aroma is like a rose 
without perfume. It may be very beautiful in texture and 
form and color, but "it lacks something." And this spiritual 
aroma is only to be obtained from Him "whose name is like 
sweet perfume and like ointment poured forth." The preacher 
must keep in touch with God or his sermons cannot be what 
they should be to the Spiritual Life of the people. 

A great responsibility rests with the preachers therefore. 
No man is more severely and more unreasonably criticized 
than a preacher often is, but he should also so conduct him- 
self as to "make full proof of his ministry." Let him show 
how general truths and doctrines should be applied to indi- 
vidual needs. Let him draw his inspiration for the task of 
preaching from the truth that he preaches, and let him bring 
that truth in a clear-cut, lucid, practical way. Let him not 
lecture to an audience, but bring a message to the people of 
God. And let that message call for broadening and deep- 
ening of Spiritual Life. Let it be an education unto spirit- 
uality, telling his people how they must exercise all the func- 
tions of their renewed soul to the honor of God. Let him do 
this earnestly, tenderly, sympathetically. 



42 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

A second important means to promote Spiritual Life is 
the religious press. In many respects the influence of books 
and papers is even greater than that of the pulpit. But I am 
not sure whether this influence is as beneficial to the Spirit- 
ual Life of the readers as it might be. It often seems to me 
that it is not. At any rate, a great responsibility rests upon 
those that contribute articles to the religious press. They 
should put emphasis upon the need of more Spiritual Life of 
the right, healthy, biblical type. 

I do not mean that our writers for the religious press 
should all write sermonettes. Far from it. I rather think 
that sermons and sermonettes are not always the best read- 
ing to promote healthy Spiritual Life. What I mean is that 
our religious press as a whole should aim at raising the 
tenor of Spiritual Life. It should emphasize the fact that 
the Christian, being by regeneration a new creature, a spirit- 
ual man, should allow this new life to dominate all his 
thoughts, desires and actions. It should aim to give the 
readers a better, a more biblical idea of what Spiritual Life 
actually is. It should make clear that Spiritual Life is not 
something all by itself and apart from man^s every-day vo- 
cation in life, but that it has to control a Christian's actions, 
attitude and aims in everything. The religious press, as well 
as the Christian pulpit, should warn people against the folly 
and sin of separating their religion from their daily life. It 
should emphasize the fact that "whether we eat or drink, or 
whatever we do, we must do it all to the glory of God." That 
is true spirituality. Everything else that is looked upon as 
spirituality is but an imitation of it. The aim of the religious 
press should be to emphasize Spiritual Life by echoing forth 
the admonition of Scripture, that "the man of God must be 
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," and by 
showing how the man of God — ^the true Christian — ^may be- 
come such. I see no reason at all why there should be a re- 
ligious press if it is not for that purpose. And I am sure 
that nothing would more promote the growth of Spiritual 
Life than if the press should follow that purpose. 

Alas, it is a painful fact that the religious press, that our 
own religious papers, are far from following that purpose 
as they might. A great deal of what is dished up week after 



THING S OF THE SPIRIT 43 

week in religious papers is neither palatable to healthy taste, 
nor instructive to the mind, nor likely to effect the will. I 
have often asked after reading an article, "Now, what is the 
writer's object?" It seems to me that some writers have 
no definite object at all. Why they write is a riddle to me. 
Others perhaps have an object, but it is hard to tell just 
what it is. Others have an object in writing, but it is neither 
of interest or value to the reading public. Some are even 
guilty of smart trickery in the interpretation of Scripture. 
Not a few are theorizing much but with little Scriptural 
basis. On the whole, the religious press has been below what 
might reasonably be expected of it as a means of sound and 
practical interpretation and reflection of what God would 
have his people know and do. And its influence for the pro- 
motion of Spiritual Life has been comparatively small. Per- 
haps better days are coming in this respect. Let us hope it, 

He ^ :{; ^ ^ 

Not the least important means to promote Spiritual Life 
is the personal conduct of each Christian, and especially of 
such Christians who occupy prominent places. Scripture 
tells us: "None of us liveth to himself." That is true in 
every way. It is inevitably true. And it places upon each 
individual Christian a great responsibility. We have a tre- 
mendous weapon in our own personality, and by our conduct 
we are using it for good or bad. And every Christian must 
endeavor to use it for good. "Edify one another," is the ad- 
monition. "Let us therefore follow after the things where- 
with one may edify another." "Let every one of us please 
his neighbor for his good to edification." 

Now, edification means to build up. And the building up 
here refers to the new life and its activities. We must, each 
one of us, use our influence for the building up of the Spirit- 
ual Life of others. We all feel the chill of mere formality 
and outward orthodoxy; let us then by word and action bring 
some life into the lifeless forms, and some warmth into the 
cold orthodoxy. Let us speak freely and tenderly of the gra- 
ciousness of our God and Savior, and let us exhort one an- 
other to that humble devotion to God and his cause, which 
is the flower of Spiritual Life. Let each Christian seek com- 



44 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

munion with God, and let a spiritually fragrant life be the 
fruit of this communion, and the means of edifying one an- 
other. And as our position in the home, church and com- 
munity is more responsible than perhaps the position of 
others, let also our spiritual influence be correspondingly 
greater. Others are looking at us. Our life will, humanly 
speaking, determine what their life shall be. Let us not 
forget to make our life by God's grace a sweet savor unto 
God, and a beam of light to others. "According as each hath 
received a gift, even so minister the same one to another, as 
good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 



VIII 
THE FRUIT OF SPIRITUALLY MINDEDNESS 



"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, 
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, good- 
ness, faith, meekness, temperance." 

Gal. 5:22, 23 

"To write the same things unto you, to me indeed is not 
irksome, but to you it is safe." Thus said Paul to the Philip- 
pians. It sometimes is well to repeat things, and I think it 
will be conducive to the spiritual life of the thoughtful reader 
if we briefly repeat what we have so far considered. 

1. We saw first that Spiritual Life, in the true sense, is 
the capability to exercise the functions of the soul in the 
proper way; that is, in the way in which God ordained these 
functions to be exercised. In this connection we further 
noticed two things, which must be kept in mind in order to 
have any clear and true conception of Spiritual Life: 

(a) That man has lost this capability through sin, and 
that a distinct and specific creation of the Holy Spirit is nec- 
essary to restore this capability. Without this work of the 
Spirit man remains spiritually dead. Through this work of 
the Spirit man becomes "a new creature," endued anew with 
Spiritual Life functions. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 45 

(b) That, though every true Christian has received this 
renewed life, it is absolutely necessary, if we would under- 
stand the teaching of Scripture on this point, to distinguish 
between the possession of spiritual life and the living of 
spiritual life. To live spiritually means that we exercise 
these renewed functions and thus bring the new life to 
definite realization. These are things that must be clearly 
understood and constantly kept in mind. 

2. Our second point for consideration was that we must 
guard against one-sidedness with respect to Spiritual Life. 
Facts have often proved that through a one-sided emphasis 
upon the need of Spiritual Life, people have gone to sad and 
harmful extremes. Some have emphasized the intellectual, 
others the experimental, still others the so-called practical 
side of Spiritual Life. If either one of the functions of our 
soul is emphasized at the expense of the other functions, our 
Spiritual Life becomes one-sided, and not seldom this one- 
sidedness leads men to substituting a sham spirituality for 
the real thing. To live spiritually means that we exercise 
all the functions of the soul, both outwardly and inwardly, 
toward the living God and in fellowship with Him. 

3. We have, thirdly, considered the normal growth of 
Spiritual Life. We saw that God has destined Spiritual Life 
to grow; that it must increase and expand. And we noticed 
that in order to grow it must have proper food and proper air. 

(a) The proper food is the inspired Word of God. We 
must eat and drink it. We must assimilate it. And this must 
be done by the personal effort of studying the Word of God 
thoughtfully, systematically, reverently, believingly and 
prayerfully. And it must be done by proper attention to the 
true, biblical ministration of the Word of God in the preach- 
ing. 

(b) The proper atmosphere or air is the presence of God. 
We must seek to commune with God, to have fellowship with 
Him. And this implies that we draw away from things that 
keep us at a distance from God and that we practice the 
holy art of prayer. We must get out of the bad air and 
into the heavenly atmosphere. 



46 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

4. In the fourth place the cultivation of Spiritual Life 
was considered. Spiritual Life is often spoken of as a plant. 
And as all plant life, so Spiritual Life must be properly cul- 
tivated. This must be done in two ways, as we have seen: 

(a) By removing that which retards and harms the 
growth of Spiritual Life, which includes primarily that we 
fight against so-called "little sins," worldly-mindedness, reli- 
gious formality, spiritual selfishness and being absorbed in 
the daily affairs of life. 

(b) We must cultivate the plant of Spiritual Life within 
us by remembering that "our citizenship is in heaven," by 
seeking "the communion of saints," by "thinking upon these 
things" of God and by being active in the affairs of the 
Church of God. 

5. Fifthly we have considered some of the means to em- 
phasize Spiritual Life and have noticed that there are espe- 
cially three means by which this may be done. The first is 
the Christian pulpit — and this lays a heavy responsibility 
upon everyone that ever stands in it. The man in the pulpit 
must give to young and old "their meat in due season" and 
must "make full proof of his ministry." If he does not do 
this, God will have no reward for him. I fear many preach- 
ers will be disappointed because of their failure on this 
point. 

The second means to promote Spiritual Life is the Chris- 
tion press, which must have this one great aim: to labor 
"that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
unto all good works." 

And the third important means to promote Spiritual Life 
is the personal conduct of the individual Christian. This is 
perhaps the most important of all. 

"I* ^ •** ^ ^ 

I now wish to add to the forgoeing a few words concern- 
ing the fruit of spiritually mindedness. This also is very 
important to consider. Does not Scripture teach us that "by 
their fruits ye shall know them?" Fruitbearing is the test 
for the quality of the tree. You can depend upon that every 
time. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit," said our 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 47 

Lord, And still stronger: "every good tree bringeth forth 
good fruit" (Matt. 7: 16-20). 

Fruitbearing is, therefore, the test of our Spiritual Life. 
It shows what our Spiritual Life really is. It shows the 
stature of our Spiritual Life. And consequently it brings 
the consciousness of the reality of our Spiritual Life to our 
own soul. We can know ourselves from the fruit we bear. 

This is the thing that we must constantly keep in mind. 
Many people are judging others by their fruit. And often 
times they judge others by the fruits which they think others 
ought to bear. They can tell precisely what others should be, 
and they can figure out accurately just how far others are be- 
low the mark. Better it would be if we would test ourself, 
each individually, by the fruit that we bear. 

Scripture defines and enumerates these fruits in many 
places. Perhaps the most complete catalogue of them is 
found in Galatians 5 : 22-24. There they are spoken of as 
"fruit of the Spirit," indicating that they are the result of 
the work of the Holy Spirit, by v/liich we are enabled to bear 
these fruits. Without the renewal of the heart and the con- 
stant guidance of the Spirit of God there can be no other 
fruits but those mentioned in Gal. 5: 19-21 as "works 
of the flesh." The natural man "minds the things of the 
flesh;" his mind is occupied by such things, and therefore 
his life brings forth those things. 

The nine fruits of spiritually mindedness mentioned in 
the above named verses, and other fruits which are men- 
tioned in other parts of Scripture, can be summed up in the 
two of Rom. 8: 6, where we read: "To be spiritually minded 
is life and peace." We shall see, with the help of God, just 
what this means in two subsequent meditations. For the 
present let me call your attention to the wording of this 
verse of Scripture. 

* * H« * ♦ 

Notice that the fruit of Spiritual Life, summed up in the 
two words, life and peace, is said to result from being "spirit- 
ually minded." Or stronger still, to be spiritually minded is 
said to be identical with life and peace. Just as those who 
have in mind the carnal things are said to be "carnally 



4g THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

minded," which is identical with death itself, so those that 
have in mind the things of the Spirit are "spiritually minded," 
which is identical with life and peace. 

Let this be clearly understood, for it is of utmost im- 
portance. To be carnally minded means that one's mind is 
occupied by carnal things, that such a mind is guided by cor- 
rupt sinful desires and aspirations, that the soul delights in 
sin and seeks the gratification of its corrupt nature. And to 
be carnally minded does not merely result in death as a 
punishment, but it is death itself; the very inclination and 
desire for sin is death, for sin is death always. It is only 
possible to be thus carnally minded when death is present 
and when a man is "dead in trespasses and sin." 

To be spiritually minded means that the mind is occupied 
with the things of the Holy Spirit; that is, such things as the 
Holy Spirit produces and for which He gives desires. The 
mind of a true child of God begins to be occupied with such 
things; they become his desire and the very object of his life. 
And as these things are of the Spirit, and in harmony with 
the Spirit, they are life itself, for through the life-giving act 
of the Holy Spirit these desires came in the soul and began 
to occupy the mind. 

So the question, whether or not we are spiritually minded, 
is answered by the true reply to another question: whether 
we mind the things of the Spirit. Do we ask for God's will 
as revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God ? Do we desire 
to live according to that most holy will of God? Have we 
"set our affections (mind R. V.) on the things that are above 
and not on the things that are upon the earth?" Are we 
aiming to be in the path that the Spirit of God wants us to 
travel day by day? 0, the question is not whether we are 
perfect in this "new obedience," for no one ever was or ever 
shall be here below. The question is whether we are minded 
to do God's will, to be "holy even as He is holy," to live for 
heaven and in heavenly things, to hate all sin. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 49 

IX 

THE FRUIT OF SPIRITUALLY MINDEDNESS 

1. It Is Life 

"To be spiritually minded is life," says Rom. 8: 6. 

That includes much more than mere existence. Just as 
death is spoken of in this verse and in the context in its 
widest range, so life is referred to in the widest range. To 
be spiritually minded is life in a sense, which includes all the 
activities and all the happiness and joy that make up life 
itself. 

Many of God's children have a very limited conception of 
Spiritual Life. To them it is merely the existence of this 
life, as wrought by the Holy Spirit in regeneration, and 
which insures to them eternal life hereafter. To be sure, 
they also admit that this new life calls for separation from 
the world, but that is about as far as they ever get with re- 
spect to living out their spiritual life. They have apparently 
no conception of the great and all-important fact that there 
must be an actual realization of this Spiritual Life through 
their own effort; that they must not only be possessors of 
Spiritual Life, but must live spiritually. 

As said before, this limited conception of Spiritual Life 
has become one of the great causes of spiritual decline, and 
spiritual barrenness and darkness. If once God's children 
would realize that the gift of Spiritual Life by the Holy 
Spirit includes power given to them to exercise the renewed 
functions of their soul, and thus to live spiritually, what a 
great and glorious change would come in the life of many of 
them, and throughout the whole household of faith. That 
would mean a real revival in the church. 

Perhaps more than ever it is necessary, that these things 
are emphasized from the pulpit. I think the two chapters 
of the Bible that need to be fully and emphatically explained 
from the pulpit more than any other chapter are Rom. 8 and 
Gal. 5 from the fifteenth verse to the end. And no verse of 
Scripture should ring out from the pulpit and should be 



50 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

prayerfully considered by God's people so much in these days 
as Gal. 5 : 25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the 
Spirit." I think our ministers should cultivate with all their 
power a better conception, a fuller comprehension of every- 
thing that pertains to Spiritual Life in the true, healthy, 
biblical sense. Unless this is done, and done speedily. I fear 
that many more of God's true children in our church-fold 
will drift away into other churches, less sound in doctrine, 
perhaps, but where they find a stimulating, invigorating 
spiritual atmosphere. 

I very well know that by saying this I lay myself liable 
to the charge of being too much of a sentimentalist, and, 
perhaps, not free from "mysticism." Let me say, however, 
that I am not saying these things unadvisedly, nor merely 
critically. I have thought and prayed much over these things, 
for I have seen a sad lack of them in our church life and in 
the preaching. A sad lack; for while our people on the 
whole are, perhaps, still doctrinally sound, many of them are 
spiritually unsound. To be doctrinally sound may mean, as 
one has said, "truth on ice." Logically correct and doc- 
trinally true, yes, but as to the practical needs of life, and 
as to the inward longings of many souls, cold as a block of 
ice. God grant that we may be delivered from that sort of 
preaching and thinking, for it works great havoc among us, 
as it necessarily must do wherever it is found. 

And then, notwithstanding its apparent logical correct- 
ness and doctrinal soundness, I would ask: is this sort of 
thing — this mere matter-of-fact way of preaching and think- 
ing — is it as logically correct and doctrinally sound as it 
seems to be and often boasts of being? I think not! I rather 
fear that its soundness is much like the soundness of fruit, 
which seems perfectly sound on the outside, but which is 
rotten within. I find in my Bible that not only was the life 
of the early Christians a life full of glow and warmth, be- 
cause their soul was filled with the Spirit and they were 
spiritually minded, but also the preaching of the apostles and 
evangelists, being modelled after the preaching of the Lord 
Christ, was full of glow and warmth. We do not find "truth 
on ice" with the early believers and preachers, but rather 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 51 



what might be called "truth on fire." And God grant that 
we may get back to that. We hear much in these days about 
"modem interpretation of Scripture/' and "modern scholar- 
ship" and "advanced thinking," etc. And while I am far 
from saying that a thing or an idea is wrong because it is 
modem, or good because it is ancient, I am firmly con- 
vinced that much of what is lauded as "modem" and "ad- 
vanced" has led many more away from the truth than to it, 
and, to say the least, it has caused much spiritual barrenness 
and cold orthodoxy. 

4: H: :f: ^ H: 

"To be spiritually minded is life." 

We want life, of course. We want life for ourselves, per- 
sonally; and we want life in our churches. True, full, well- 
rounded life, is what we desire. 

We want action. Surely we do, for life is action. We 
want people to take a lively interest in the affairs of the 
local church and in the Church and the Kingdom at large. 

We want people to know that they have life, that they 
have passed from death unto life, that the Holy Spirit dwells 
in them and abides with them, that they are God's children. 

We want fellowship with God, communion with the Most 
High. We want to eat of the heavenly manna that is hidden 
with God in Christ; we want to drink of the water of life 
freely. 

We want life "more abundantly;" we want to see spirit- 
ual life grow and to attain to the stature of maturity, and 
not to see it remain small and weak, like the life of a babe 
in Christ. 

We want to see this life grow continually, according to 
the promise of Psalm 84: 7, "They go from strength to 
strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God." 

How are we to get all this, and more? How?! 

Not by making a special effort now and then to act par- 
ticularly pious. 

Not by getting wound up occasionally so that we assume 
great spirituality. 



52 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

Not by praying much at times when we think we feel 
specially led by the Spirit. 

These things may appear spiritual and may look very de- 
sirable, but they are like the occasional flare of the dying 
embers. They have no abiding results. All sporadic efforts 
to become more spiritual are doomed to failure. 

What is needed is to be '^spiritually minded." 

The whole renewed mind must be tuned to spirituality, so 
that piety and prayer are no longer produced by special ef- 
fort but become a habit, a holy habit. 

"We must train ourselves step by step, degree after de- 
gree, to think, speak and act as true children of God, so that 
it becomes as natural for us to do this as it is natural for 
the flower to turn to the sunlight. 

Let us get away from all artificiality and superficiality 
with respect to spiritual life and remember that it is the 
fruit of a constant, abiding, deep, humble, consecrated spirit- 
ually mindedness. In no other way will we attain to a higher 
plane of spiritual life. 

And to become spiritually minded requires effort. Just 
as it requires a certain degree of effort to engage our mind 
in any other subject. Also here the truth of the apostle's 
saying must be kept in mind, "V/e have a reasonable serv- 
ice." 

Read again what is briefly repeated in the previous medi- 
tations about the normal growth, the cultivation and the 
means to emphasize Spiritual Life. 

Especially prayer must be resorted to for the growth and 
proper activity of our Spiritual Life. "Seek and ye shall 
find" is the injunction. If we lack courage and strength, we 
must ask of Him "who giveth liberally and upbradeth not." 
God's promises are unlimited with respect to all things that 
we need for the increase of faith, hope and love and for 
genuine spiritually mindedness. 

"Go to the deeps of God's promise; 
Ask freely of Him, and receive; 
All good may be had for the asking. 
If, seeking, ye truly believe. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 53 



"Go to the deeps of God's promise; 
The blessing is never denied; 
He loves and remembers his children, 
And every good thing is supplied. 

"Go to the deeps of God's promise; 
There's wideness of meaning untold 
In the promises given his people, 
And the treasures they ever unfold." 



X 

THE FRUIT OF SPIRITUALLY MINDEDNESS 

2. It Is Peace 

When Paul states that, "to be spiritually minded is 

peace" the v^ord "peace" is used to denote a subjective spirit- 
ual quality. It is used in the same sense in Rom. 2: 10, where 
it is stated, that "peace (is) to every man that worketh 
good." It does not, therefore, signify peace as contrasted 
with strife, but it denotes peace as a state of untroubled and 
undisturbed wellbeing. 

Such a state of peace will also lead to peace as contrasted 
with strife, for they that have peace will promote peace. But 
they may be in this state of peace even when they are much 
troubled outwardly, just as the waters in the deep places of 
the ocean remain peaceful and quiet when the waters on the 
surface are greatly disturbed by the storms. 

In the same sense the word "peace" is used in Acts 9: 31, 
where it is said that "the churches throughout all Judea 
and Galilee and Samaria had peace." This does not mean 
primarily that there was no persecution raging against them, 
but it refers to their state of spiritual wellbeing. 

How little of this peace is found in these days among 
confessing Christians, alas! The inward restlessness of 
many souls is quite evident from their outward disturbed 
life. How few Christians there are whose outward conver- 
sation and walk evidences that they have this peace. How 
many, on the other hand, reveal that this peace, which is said 



THINGS OF THE SPIEIT 



to be the inevitable fruit of spiritually mindedness, is sadly 
lacking. Consequently, we see, by the very life many Chris- 
tian people, the great need of emphasizing the admonition of 
the Word of God, to be "spiritually minded," to "set the af- 
fections on things above" and "to think on them." 

O, these things sound so simple, so common; they are so 
well known as being true that the very simplicity of them, 
the very fact that they are known to be true, seems to in- 
duce many Christians to carelessness concerning them. While 
writing about this subject of Spiritual Life, and the need to 
emphasize it, I have felt all the time that I am writing on, 
perhaps, the best known, but also the most neglected sub- 
ject. People admit that spiritually mindedness is lacking, 
that it is necessary in order to preserve our Spiritual Life 
in a healthy state and to live spiritually; they often express 
a desire for more of that calm repose which enables the re- 
newed man to ride at anchor amid the storms of life, but, 
alas! that is as far as it goes. There is no seeking of this 
peace through real spiritually mindedness with most of them 
that admit its lack and know its necessity and desire to pos- 
sess it. They continue to go on to seek the things that are 
on earth, to be so occupied by the affairs of this life that 
they find it rather convenient to dispose of the things of the 
life to come until they get sick and perhaps must die. 

Christian friends, who have not this peace abounding in 
your soul, do you not know that "godliness is profitable unto 
all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that 
which is to come?" Therefore, "exercise thyself rather to 
godliness," which essentially is nothing else than spiritually 
mindedness. And instead of being disturbed outwardly and 
inwardly, tossed about on the sea of uncertainty, and, per- 
haps, of doubt, you will experience the blessed truth that "the 
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep 
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

We are living in times which, by reason of all the turmoil 
and restlessness, call God's children more than ever to spirit- 
ually mindedness. These are days when men cry, "Peace, 
peace, while there is no peace." Whatever our view of the 
present world condition may be, there can be no question in 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 55 

the minds of God^s true children that these are "perilous 
times," as the Bible speaks of them. And the neatest peril 
to the believers is that they lose their spiritual bearing. I 
fear that that has happened to a great many Christians. 
They are following in the world's procession, thinking more 
of the peace powers than of the Peace Prince, listening more 
to the modem ideas concerning culture than to the Bible- 
teaching concerning Christ. Ah! remember, "to be spiritually 
minded is peace." 

As stated at the beginning, the peace here referred to 
denotes a subjective spiritual quality which may be called 
undisturbed wellbeing. It consists primarily in being at 
peace with God. Not merely objectively and in a judicial 
sense, but being at peace with God subjectively and in a 
moral sense. It is that inward assurance which results in 
calm repose and the joy that there is no condemnation for us, 
because we are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Come what 
may the soul of those that have this peace as fruit of spirit- 
ually mindedness is undismayed and undisturbed. It matters 
not what trials come and what billows of woe threaten to 
roll over him, such a soul knows that the main question of 
his life is settled forever. Therefore he also knows "that all 
things work together for good to him who loves God." Hap- 
piness guaranteed to him for eternity secures him happiness 
here. He "rejoices in tribulations also, knowing that tribula- 
tion worketh patience, and patience experience, and experi- 
ence hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of 
God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is 
given unto him." 

All this — let it never be forgotten — is the fruit of spirit- 
ually mindedness. Without this spiritually mindedness we 
will remain strangers to this peace, but as we become more 
spiritually minded, having our affections set on the things 
above and aiming to serve the Lord while we are here be- 
low, this undisturbed peace will become ours, and it will con- 
stantly increase. The Lord "giveth more grace" is the as- 
surance. He therefore will also increase this grace of peace, 
according to the measure of great goodness. As the prophet 
Isaiah says: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect grace (literally 



56 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

"peace, peace;" that is, double peace), whose mind is stayed 
on thee" (26:3). Read that right. It says: "whose mind 
is stayed on thee." It means the same as to be "spiritually 
minded." 

They that possess this peace, this undisturbed wellbeing, 
will naturally also be lovers of peace and haters of strife. 
This subjective quality of their soul will also make itself 
seen and heard in life. This peace is an active peace. It 
will "make for peace." It will promote peace. It is not 
quarrelsome, but it seeks to share its own quietude with 
others. With "joy" and "peace" are mentioned in Gal. 5: 
22-24 as fruits of spiritually mindedness the qualities of 
"love, longsuffering, gentleness and goodness." These quali- 
ties go a long way in making for peace among men, and 
especially peace among brethren and fellow-believers. 

What if this active side of peace, as it reveals itself in 
relation to others, is lacking? There is only one answer to 
that question: Then the inward, subjective spiritual quality, 
which is primarily denoted by the word "peace," is lacking, 
and consequently there is a lack of spiritually mindedness. 
Now, if there is one thing among Christians today which 
proves the lack of spiritually mindedness and which shows 
therefore the need of greater emphasis on Spiritual Life, it is 
the critical, quarrelsome, fault-finding attitude of one Chris- 
tian toward another. And I doubt whether there is any 
group of Christians where that attitude is stronger at pres- 
ent than it is among our Christian Reformed people. My 
heart aches as I write about this thing, for it is a sad, a 
lamentable fact, and there seems to be little feeling of guilt 
among us on account of it. May there be a conversion on 
that point among us on a large scale, for it is certainly 
needed. 

If we become, individually and as a Church, more spirit- 
ually minded, there will be a great change in our attitude 
toward one another. We will then learn to "look not every 
man on his own things," have his own aims and ideas which 
each tries to enforce upon the other, but each will also look 
on the things that are of other believers. And we will then 
be "like minded, having the same love, being of one accord. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 57 

of one mind." Then nothing will be done "through strife on 
vain glory, but in lowliness of mind each will esteem the 
other better than themselves" (Phil. 2; 2-4). Let us not 
mistake faultfinding for principle. One of the great princi- 
ples of the Christian faith is peacableness. And it grows on 
that branch of the plant of faith which is called "spiritually 
mindedness." Let us, by God's grace, bear that fruit more 
abundantly. 

Let our constant prayer be: Lord, give us this life and 
give it more abundantly, for thy name's sake. 



PART II 



THOUGHTS ON PRAYER 



"Be ye therefore Sober and Watch unto Prayer." 

1 Pet. 4: 7 



^^-^^^^ 



"I love the Lord, who heard my cry 
And granted my request; 
In Him who hears and answers prayer 
My trust through life shall rest." 

Ps. 116 



XI 
"LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY' 



"And it came to pass, that, as He was 
praying in a certain place, when He 
ceased, one of his disciples said unto 
Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John 
also taught his disciples. And He said 
unto them, When ye pray, say. Our 
Father which art in heaven, etc." 

Luke 11:1-4 

The question whether prayer is necessary and effectual 
finds no place among earnest, biblical Christians. You might 
as well ask whether it is necessary for a person to breath in 
order to live. Prayer has rightly been called the breathing 
of the soul. Our soul life depends upon whether, and to 
what extent, we pray. 

The subject of prayer is an inexhaustible one. One might 
write or meditate on it for weeks and still find that he has 
but scarcely begun. 

I wish to express only a few practical thoughts on this 
subject of prayer in this and in th^ following meditations. I 
do not pretend to make a systematic study of the subject. 
It seems to me that there is little need of a systematic study 
of the subject of prayer; what we do need is a better con- 
ception of what is meant by a "life of prayer." 

Sometimes it seems to me that Christians are not leading 
a "life of prayer" very much these days. I think that Chris- 
tians, generally speaking, are not very efficient in this holy 
art. There seems to be a good deal of artificiality, as well as 
superficiality, among Christians in regard to prayer. Surely, 
it is worth while to turn our mind to this subject and rever- 
ently to meditate on it. If our Spiritual Life is to grow 
strong and vigorous, we must breath the air of heaven, as 
we have seen; we must "draw near to God" in prayer. 



62 THINGS OF TH E SPIRIT 

The disciples also felt the great necessity of prayer. And 
especially after they heard the Lord pray at a certain place, 
and noticed how He poured out his very soul before the 
Father, they were convinced of the imperfection of their 
life of prayer and anxious to be instructed. 

The Lord, in his answer to their request, does not speak 
to them of the necessity of prayer, but, assuming that prayer 
was a daily habit with them. He says, "When ye pray, say," 
etc. The Lord gives them instruction in the holy art of prayer, 
and this instruction is for our learning also. 

There are two important characteristics about prayer 
which we should constantly keep in mind if we are going to 
pray to any degree "as we ought." 

Firstly, prayer is a very simple action. It is the simplest 
form and the easiest form of worship. It requires no great 
knowledge nor special gifts of rhetorical expression. Learned 
people are not necessarily far advanced in the art of prayer. 
Nor are the aged greater in prayer than the young. Even 
children can pray; and they often do pray more according to 
the will of God than Christians who are advanced in years. 

Secondly, prayer is fellowship of the soul with God. Prayer 
does not at all depend upon words, but upon the attitude of 
the soul. In Matt. 6, where the Lord gives the same prayer 
in substance that we find in Luke 11, He expressly warns 
against "much speaking" and "vain repetitions." The true 
beginning of a prayer or, better still, the beginning of a true 
prayer is the yearning of the soul toward God. It can there- 
fore never be fully expressed or explained how God's children 
make their prayers. Perhaps it was never more beautiful 
and more correctly expressed what constitutes prayer than 
by James Montgomery, who said: 

"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, 

Unuttered or expressed; 
The motion of a hidden fire 

That trembles in the breast. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 63 

"Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 

The falling of a tear, 
The upward glancing of an eye 

When none but God is near. 

"Prayer is the simplest form of speech 

That infant lips can try; 
Prayer the sublime st strains that reach 

The Majesty on high." 

But these very characteristics of prayer — simplicity in 
form and fellowship of the soul with God — ^make it difficult 
for us to pray as we ought. 

If prayer consisted mainly in using fine phrases and mak- 
ing solemn declarations, we might find it much easier to 
pray. 

Or if prayer were only speaking to God, and not in the 
first place communion with God, we would, perhaps, be fur- 
ther advanced in this spiritual exercise. 

For is it not one of the most difiicult things for us to do, 
to put aside all desire to make a show of words? And is it 
not also one of the most difficult things for us to do, to 
actually draw our soul and ourself away from mere outward 
forms and to commune with God? 

Every Christian who seriously attempts to do these things 
will find them well-nigh beyond his reach. 

This is exactly what the disciples felt when they heard 
Jesus pray. They were filled with awe, for it seemed to them 
that they had never yet prayed so that it might be called a 
prayer. They felt ashamed of their poor attempts at prayer; 
they realized that they had to start all over again and that 
they must yet learn to pray. They had undoubtedly consid- 
ered prayer somewhat as the rabbles did. They had been 
more concerned about the words and phrases than about the 
real contents and the right attitude of their soul in prayer. 

Realizing this, they wait in deep reverence until Jesus 
rises from his prayer and then forthwith they come to Him 
with the urgent request, "Lord, teach us to pray." Answer- 
ing their request, the Lord gives them a simple model of a 



64 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

true prayer, so far as words and contents is concerned. And 
thus the Lord would teach them both simplicity in form and 
the fellowship of their soul with God. 

We must not make wrong use of this prayer. While it is 
permissible to use the Lord's Prayer literally, it certainly is 
not necessary to do so. The Lord did not intend it to be a 
fixed formula. He himself does not use the same words in 
Matt. 6 and in Luke 11, and we never read of the apostles 
using this prayer literally, while often other prayers are 
mentioned. 

By using this prayer verbally we would almost inevitably 
fall into the habit of thoughtlessly repeating the words, and 
thus it would become a "vain repetition." 

When Jesus says, "After this manner pray ye," He does 
not command a verbal use of this prayer, but He very 
plainly intended it to be a model, after which our prayer 
should be molded. He does not forbid, but rather urges us 
to pray in other words than those used in this model. 

As a model, it is not a long, but a great prayer. It in- 
cludes all that a prayer should include. It leaves nothing 
out, but mentions all things in the briefest possible way. 

It is a model in directness. It teaches us to address God 
directly and in simple words of childlike faith. 

It is a model in humbleness. There is nothing boastful 
about this prayer. Humility is desired by God as we ap- 
proach Him in prayer. 

It is a model in the order of things asked for. The first 
three petitions have reference to God: to his Name, his King- 
dom and his Will. The second three petitions make our hu- 
man needs known to the Lord, and the right proportion of ^ 
the respective needs of body and soul is also indicated. Thus ^ 
the Lord teaches us how to pray, showing plainly that God's 
honor must be considered above all else. 

It is also important to notice that the Lord gives further 
instructions about the right attitude of our soul toward God 
while we pray, especially that our heart must be free from 
doubt when we pray (Luke 11: 5-13). This is one of the first 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 65 

requisites. We must believe that "heaven finds an ear when 
sinners find a tongue," that God will hear and answer prayer. 
Our greatest concern should not be whether God answers 
prayer, but how we pray. The Lord delights to answer 
prayer, and our prayer always falls below God's resources. 
The great question is whether we pray, truly pray. 

"O thou, by whom we come to God — 
The Life, the Truth, the Way; 
The path of prayer thyself hast trod; 
Lord! teach us how to pray." 



XII 
WHEN PRAYER SEEMS TO BE UNHEARD 



"But He answered her not a word." 

Matt. 15:23 

"Why sayest thou, Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My 
way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over 
from my God?" 

Thus the prophet Isaiah, when he comforts the people 
with the sure promises of Jehovah, exhorts them to believe 
that the Lord will hear their prayers. 

Yet, it often seems, that the Lord takes no notice of the 
appeals that rise up to heaven, and many there are who 
have been sorely perplexed and in soul agony have asked, 
"Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger 
shut up his tender mercies ? " 

Let us prayerfully consider this perplexing subject, "When 
prayer seems to be unheard. '* I trust it will lead us to more 
earnest and believing prayer. 

In the verse of the present meditation we read that Jesus 
did not answer a poor woman who cried out to Him: "Have 
mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is 
grievously vexed with a devil." The Lord did not even take 



66 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

the trouble, so it seemed, to "send her away," as the dis- 
ciples thought He ought to do (vs. 23b). He answered her 
not a word. He seemed to take no notice of her whatever. 
He just let her cry, cry, cry; for we read that the disciples 
said: "She crieth after us." She followed Him up through 
the road, and yet the Lord gave no answer. 

This is the more surprising when we consider how this 
woman prayed, and what she prayed about. 

Her whole prayer is a sample of humility. 

She is conscious of her unworthiness and admits it, for she 
does not ask for help, but she cries for mercy. 

She recognizes Jezus to be the son of David, the Savior, 
and calls Him Lord. It is a true confession of Christ, there- 
fore. 

She does not doubt Christ's power to help her, nor his 
willingness. It is therefore the prayer of faith. 

And she prays about a matter that very urgently calls for 
divine intervention: her daughter is in the power of the devil. 
What greater reason for prayer could there be? And how 
proper that she comes to Him who came into the world to 
destroy the works of the devil. 

And yet it seems that the hearer of prayer is deaf, for He 
answers her not one word. There never was a more urgent 
and humble prayer, nor a case that was more needy, and her 
faith was so great that Jesus himself said a little while later, 
"O woman, great is thy faith." But the Lord, for the mo- 
ment that she cries out her agonizing prayer, seems not to 
hear, or to be unwilling to answer. 



We need not inquire about the particular reason why the 
Lord did not answer this woman. Some who read these words 
have had perhaps the same experience. Yea, it may be that 
some one is even now crying to the Lord for mercy for him- 
self or in behalf of a dear one, and the Lord remains silent. 

And perhaps you have asked yourself whether you did not 
pray in faith, or whether your sins were such that the Lord 
refuses to listen to yon. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 67 

And it surely is well for each of us to search our heart 
with respect to our prayers. We can never be too severe 
with ourselves in that respect. 

But we must also remember, as we see from this incident, 
that the Lord sometimes lets his children wait. At times 
God answers immediately, and thus strengthens the faith of 
his children. But there are times when the Lord does not 
seem to pay any attention to our prayers, and then we must 
remember that the silence of the Lord is also an answer. 

That silence of the Lord may be grievous to your soul, 
it may be a painful trial of your faith, it may cut deep into 
your heart and cause your eyes to run over with tears; but 
it is no sign of indifference of your Lord. 

When you cry to God for pardon, and the Lord answers 
you not a word, it may be that He is thereby giving you a 
deeper sense of sin, so that also your joy, when God does an- 
swer you— as He certainly will — may be the greater. 

When you cry to God for the conversion of some one near 
and dear to your heart, and the Lord answers you not a word, 
it may be that He is leading that soul for which you pray 
through such inward experiences that his grace will shine 
out more luminous when the day comes that He openly an- 
swers your prayer. 

When God's hand is resting heavy upon you through many 
trials and numerous troubles, and He answers you not a word, 
then fall at his feet and trust his mercy, for "His mercy en- 
dureth forever." 

Christ will not remain silent always, and the longer his 
silence may seem, the more gracious will his answer be to 
them that believe. 



"Unanswered yet? The prayer your lips have pleaded, 
In agony of heart these many years? 
Does faith begin to fail: is hope departing, 

And think you all in vain those falling tears ? 
Say not, the Father hath not heard your prayer: 
You shall have your desire sometime, somewhere. 



68 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 



"Unanswered yet? Though when you first presented 
This petition at the Father's throne, 
It seemed you could not wait the time of asking, 

So urgent was your heart to make it known. — 
Though years have passed since then, do not despair; 
The Lord will answer you sometime, somewhere. 

"Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered. 

Her feet were firmly planted on the Rock; 
Amid the wildest storm she stands undaunted, 
Nor quails before the loudest thunder-shock. 
Faith knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer, 
And cries, 'It shall be done,' sometime, somewhere." 



XIII 
IMPORTUNATE PRAYER 



"And she said. Truth, Lord: yet the 
dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from 
their master's table." Matt. 15: 27 

"Men ought always to pray, and not 
to faint." Luke 18:1 

This woman became bolder when the Lord did not answer 
her a word. 

She said, as it were, with Jacob: "I will not let thee go 
except thou bless me." She kept on crying for mercy, just 
like the widow of the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 
18: 1-8). 

And when finally the Lord spoke to her, and his words 
seemed to be even more disheartening than his silence had 
been; when the Lord seemed to reject her plea irrevocably 
by saying, "It is not meet to take the children's bread and 
to cast it to the dogs," then this woman came forward in all 
the boldness of a steadfast faith. She would not be rejected. 
She believed that the Lord could not reject her. So she kept 
asking and praying when everything, and even the Lord him- 
self, seemed to discourage her. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 69 

Here we have then a life example of what the Lord had 
been previously teaching his followers in the parable of the 
importunate friend (Luke 11: 5-10), an example that the 
disciples and the believers of this day greatly need. We are 
inclined to give up so soon as we meet with seemingly dis- 
couraging signs. Instead of exerting the strength of faith 
on the matter that we pray about we are soon ready to yield 
to the inclination of doubt that is within us. Believers faint 
in their prayer instead of "tightening the grip" on the Lord 
when He does not answer immediately. 

H< * 4: ^ H: 

What is the reason that many of the Lord's children are 
not importunate in their prayer? Why do they faint? 

It is often thought, and sometimes said, that it is because 
they feel their utter unworthiness so much that they dare 
not believe to be answered. 

But I think that idea is false. If that were the case, how 
then would they dare to pray at all ? The fact is that people 
are not afraid at all to pray to the Lord about a certain mat- 
ter, and yet they faint almost immediately when their prayer 
finds no ready response. 

When we think little of ourselves, we will the more feel 
our need of God and that will lead us to importunate prayer. 
The more we realize that our help is with the Lord alone and 
that we are utterly unworthly of God's mercy to hear us the 
more urgent will our prayer become. 

Look at this woman. She did not object to it to be com- 
pared with the dogs. She thought so little of herself that she 
considered it quite natural to be compared to dogs. She did 
not feel hurt at all, as many others would have; but she fully 
agreed with the Lord as He thus addressed her while she 
was lying at his feet worshipping Him. 

The reason why we often faint in our prayer is not be- 
cause we think so little of ourselves, but because we don't 
think enough of the Lord. When our prayer ceases, it is not 
because we mistrust ourselves so much, but because we dis- 
trust the Lord. Our sins are not in our way, but our lack of 
faith is in the way. 



70 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

Let us not deceive ourselves on this point. Very often 
people will talk as if they dared not pray any more because 
of their feeling of unworthiness. But that is not so, even 
though they may think it so. It is lack of faith. Nothing 
else. We distrust God. If v/e had more confidence in Him, 
we would pray more as we saw more of our unworthiness. 



This woman thought much of Christ. She thought that 
at his table of mercy there was enough so that she, unworthy 
as she was, could have a few crumbs. And she believed that 
Christ was generous enough not to refuse her these crumbs. 
She believed that just a crumb would be enough to cast the 
devil out of her daughter; so much she thought of the power 
of this mercy. 

A great thing it was that she wanted of Christ, and yet 
it seemed to her but like a crumb of the great abundance of 
the mercy of Christ Jesus. And she wanted that crumb, and 
was satisfied with nothing less. 

And she won out by believing, and keeping on believing. 
Far from being disheartened by the seemingly harsh words 
of Christ, she drew an argument from them in her own favor, 
and she says, as it were: "Now, Lord, thou must surely help 
me, for no master refuses to the dogs the crumbs that fall 
from the table.*' And even the Lord could not deny the logic 
of that argument. He granted her the request that she had 
been making so persistently. 

Notice, however, that the Lord plainly says, that it is 
her faith that gained this victory. The Lord addresses her 
thus: "0 woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as 
thou wilt." It is only faith that continues the struggle and 
keeps praying when not answered. And faith will not be put 
to shame. Faith thinks little of self, but it thinks much of 
Christ. Therefore it cannot be put to shame, for the shame 
would be on Christ if the prayer of faith, the importunate 
prayer, was not answered. 

Notice also that it is no loss but gain to the soul when the 
answer to prayer is delayed, so that it becomes necessary to 
be importunate in prayer. Faith profits by God's apparent 
indisposition to answer prayer. It will cling firmer to God 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 71 

when it appears as if God would withdrav/. And thus faith 
grows strong. That is one of God's great purposes in de- 
laying the answer. 



Surely, believers "ought always to pray and not to faint." 
We are honoring God when we faint not in prayer. We then 
recognize truly our unworthiness, and we thereby confess 
the truthfulness of God. For He has promised to listen. 
Read again Luke 18:1-8. God may delay the answer, but 
He does not dismiss the believer and his prayer. Base your 
petitions upon his word of promise. Say, as you go on pray- 
ing and believing: 

"Upon thy Word I rest; 
So strong, so sure, 
So full of comfort blest, 

So sweet, so pure: 
The charter of salvation: 
Faith's broad foundation. 

"Upon thy Word I stand: 

That cannot die. 
Christ seals it in my hand. 

He cannot lie. 
Thy Word that faileth never: 
Abiding ever." 



XIV 
PRAYER OUT OF SEASON 



"And the Lord said unto Moses, 
Wherefore criest thou unto Me? speak 
unto the children of Israel that they go 
forward." Ex. 14: 15 

A hasty and thoughtless reading of this Scripture verse 
might give one the impression that God does not care much 
for prayer. He seems to discourage prayer when He says 



72 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

to Moses, "Wherefore criest thou unto Me?" It seems quite 
the opposite from the injunction of the Master, "Men ought 
always to pray and not to faint." 

Yet this contradiction is only seemingly. In reality this 
verse of Scripture teaches the same truth as that injunction 
of Jesus in Luke 18: 1. Both teach that we must trust God 
implicitly. We must trust God and therefore pray con- 
tinually. We also must trust God and accept the answer 
when it comes and act accordingly. 

Moses had asked the Lord for his guidance, and the Lord 
had instructed him to encamp by the sea. God had told 
Moses also that the Egyptians would follow the Israelites 
and that they would attempt to destroy them, but He also 
had said, "I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his 
host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." 

That was enough for Moses. The answer to all his pray- 
ers had been given. And he also believed it, for he said to 
the people, "Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the 
Lord, which He will shew to you this day." 

And yet, when the time came to act upon the promise of 
God and to believe the answer that God had already given, 
Moses was wavering. And instead of acting he went on pray- 
ing. 

That prayer was not wanted by God, for it was not a sign 
of faith but rather an expression of doubt. Moses had been 
"knocking" and the "door" was opened unto him, but there 
was some doubt in his soul, so that instead of entering the 
door that God had opened, he kept still knocking as though 
the door was yet closed. And therefore comes this rebuking 
question of Jehovah: "Wherefore criest thou unto Me?" 

We see then that our prayers may be out of season. While 
there is always reason to pray, it may be that there is no 
reason to pray a certain particular prayer. We must watch 
for the answers that God gives. And when He has answered 
our prayer, but we believe not the answer — perhaps because 
we cannot fully understand it — ^then it becomes shameful 
disobedience and God-dishonoring unbelief if we still keep 
praying about the matter. When we ask of God, we must 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 73 

also be ready to receive, and when the answer comes, faith 
must accept it. If we ask something of God that we are con- 
vinced is proper to ask and expedient for us to receive, we 
must never quit praying about it until the answer comes; 
but when the answer does come, we must believe it and act 
upon it. 

Now, this is something that is quite often forgotten. God 
has answered many a prayer to some of us, and still we per- 
haps keep on praying as though He had not answered us at 
all. And consequently God does not listen with favor to our 
prayer. He shuts his ear to it, and somehow we feel that 
heaven is as of brass. Our prayer does not reach the throne, 
and we are, perhaps, wondering why it is, while all the time 
we refuse to see that God has answered long ago. God casts 
our prayers back in our face sometimes because they are not 
wanted, and they are not wanted because they are answered. 
And yet we keep on praying as though God had not an- 
swered. How unbelieving, how God-dishonoring are such 
prayers therefore. Well might God say to us: "Wherefore 
criest thou unto Me?'' 

There are very many ways in which we may become guilty 
of praying out of season. 

We have prayed and are praying for material prosperity, 
but adversity has been our portion in life, and we think that 
God has not answered our prayer while, in reality, He has 
been laboring to give us greater prosperity by keeping from 
us the lesser; He would give us soul prosperity through life's 
adversity, and we have not accepted his answer. 

We have, perhaps, prayed for soul prosperity and God 
has sent us sickness and sorrow, and we think that God has 
not answered. And yet He would use these afflictions as 
means to give us what we asked for. But we have not ac- 
cepted the answer. 

We have prayed that the Lord might make us useful for 
his cause and Kingdom — ^we would do some work for Him — 
and God has placed us somewhere in a home or in a shop 



74 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

where we might be constantly sowing the seed of the Gospel. 
But we have not accepted God's answer, for it was not ac- 
cording to our notion; it did not come as we would have it. 

We have prayed that God would lead our children to Him 
and to his blessed service, and the Lord has placed within 
our reach such means as He would use to answer our pray- 
ers, but we are not using those means; we want God to an- 
swer our prayers without these means; we perhaps want 
Him to use no means at all. And so we think that God is 
not answering, while all the time the answer is right there 
for us to take hold of. 

We are praying that God might remember the poor and 
the needy, and God has given us the means to supply their 
want. But we refuse to use these means; we just want to 
pray and we don't want to act. 

We have been praying for opportunities and for blessings, 
and God has put them at our very door and in our homes; 
but we have been like the man that was seeking the horse 
while he was riding it. 

Yes, we must always pray, and faint not, but we must be 
looking for the answer also. And we must leave it to God 
how He will answer. 

Let us see to it, that we are not "asking amiss," that we 
are not asking what is not permissable to ask, or that we 
do not ask in the wrong way. Let us not lay conditions upon 
God, telling Him how we want Him to answer our prayers. 
Pray always, and faint not. Be sure that the answer will 
come and look for it. And quit praying for it when the an- 
swer has come. When God has answered, even when He did 
so in a way entirely contrary to our expectations, we must 
make use of the answer: we must act. When God is dividing 
the Red Sea for us, as it were, our prayer must give place to 
action and praise. Let us not dishonor God with prayers 
that are out of season. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 75 

XV 
HOW OUR PRAYERS MAY BE HINDERED 



"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the 
Lord will not hear me." Ps. 66: 18 

"That your prayers be not hindered." 

1 Pet. 3:7b 

Sin has put us out of harmony with God. So long as sin 
stands between our soul and God there can be no harmony, 
and so long as we wish to keep sin on hand there can be no 
^ mmunion with God in prayer. Sin cuts us off from con- 
tact with the throne of God. 

This is a truth that is not sufficiently recognized by many 
of God's people. There are sometimes all kinds of sins in 
their life, and they just act as though it made no difference 
to God. They often would make it appear before men as if 
they still had uninterrupted communion with God, while they 
regard iniquity in their heart and practice it in their life. 

Very few children of God seem to realize what effect sin 
has upon their prayer, and still fewer will admit the awful 
fact that their prayers are immediately hindered when there 
is sin in their life that is not hated and confessed. 

God is a holy God. He will receive sinners and He will 
listen to and answer the prayers of his very imperfect chil- 
dren; but there is one condition: they must hate sin. With 
regard to our prayers the word of the Lord is applicable: "I 
will be sanctified in them that come nigh me." It is true 
what Isaiah said to Israel, "Your iniquities have separated 
between you and your God" (59: 2). 

Again I say many of God's children do not seem to realize 
this. Each of us knows from our own experience, perhaps, 
how we tried to keep up our prayer while there was sin be- 
tween us and the Lord, some well known wrong that we did 
not humbly confess. We did "regard iniquity in our heart," 
and we knew it to be there, and yet we tried to get our 
prayers to reach God's throne, thinking that God would over- 
look the matter. But the Lord did not do that; He "will not 



76 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

hear" under such circumstances of willful attempts to cover 
sin before his face. And, though we tried hard and long, 
"our prayers were hindered," prayer would not flow from 
our lips, and even if it came from our lips, it did not come 
from the heart. 

Let us not deceive ourselves in this matter, for the Lord 
will not hear us if we regard iniquity in our heart. You can't 
make God listen to you. And you commit an awful sin when 
you come to God with iniquity in your heart. You thereby 
insult God, for you act as if He were not holy enough to take 
notice of your sin. No greater insult can be done to God 
than to close your eyes and bend your knees and fold your 
hands — like a humble and penitent supplicant — ^while all the 
time while you speak to God you "regard iniquity in your 
heart." God may not strike you dead while you are doing 
this, like He did Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, but the 
terrible judgment upon these two priests shows us wamingly 
that God is a holy God and that we must not regard (esteem, 
love, cherish, protect) iniquity in our heart when we come 
to God in prayer. Prayer will be hindered if iniquity is re- 
garded in the heart; it will neither be offered aright nor re- 
ceive an answer. 

H: ^ ^ ^ ^ 

Prayers may be hindered for many reasons. 

The Apostle Peter speaks of the relation between hus- 
band and wife. And he says that prayer may be hindered if 
they do not live right toward one another. 

The evil to which he refers has always been a source of 
hindrance in prayer. In many a Christian home the relation 
between husband and wife, and consequently the whole home 
atmosphere, is far from the biblical ideal. Many a Christian 
home is the scene of jealousies and contentions, of strife and 
bickerings, so that it looks more like a home where evil 
spirits rule than a home in which the fear of God dwells. And 
even in many other homes, where common sense keeps the 
members of the family from living in open trouble, there is 
a lack of kindness and affection between husband and wife 
and between parents and children whereby prayer that is 
acceptable with God becomes a total impossibility. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT ^^ 

Another thing that is a great hindrance in prayer is the 
lack of brotherly love among the believers. The Lord Jesus 
emphasizes it very strongly that love must be the rule among 
the household of faith. Harsh looks and unkind words are 
quite common among believers who claim to be one in Christ 
and who in their inner chamber seek communion at the same 
throne of grace. There is a disposition among Christians to 
take offence at the least little thing that comes up which runs 
contrary to their desires and ambitions, and there is often 
a spirit of unforgiveness, as if they never had read Matt. 
5:23, 24; 6:14, 15; 18:19-35. Some Christians can live at 
odds with fellow-believers for years and yet they have the 
brazen audacity to call upon the name of God in prayer, 
0, what an effrontery before the Holy One, who has said of 
all such, "When you stretch out your hands, I will shut my 
eyes; when you make many prayers, I will shut my ears." 
Remember, that prayer cannot be offered when a hot tempest 
of passion reigns in your soul, nor can God listen to your so- 
called prayers when your soul is as cold as an icicle toward 
your fellow-brother or sister. 

Besides these two great hindrances in prayer there are a 
great many others. These two are perhaps the most gen- 
eral and they are the least considered to be obnoxious in the 
eyes of God. But there are very many more, all having their 
cause in the dark recesses of our sinful and selfish soul. 

And just as a telephone or telegraph wire carries no mes- 
sage when that wire is pulled down somewhere so that it 
touches the ground, so communication is cut off between the 
throne of God and our soul when we allow sin to drag us 
down. The wire of prayer is then "grounded," and it never 
reaches God's throne in his favor. 

Let us get the hindrances out of the way. Let us not 
attempt to pray when we don't want to have the hindrances 
removed. Our prayer would be worse than hypocrisy; it 
would be wilful insult to God. It would be trying to blind- 
fold the Lord. And we cannot do that. We can bring a 
curse upon ourselves, but we cannot deceive God. 

And, as something may be hindering our prayer which 



78 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

we have not yet detected, let us pray: "Search me, God, 
and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts, and see 
if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way 
everlasting." 



XVI 

LACK OF PRAYER 

1. Caused by Our Carnal Nature 



"Ask and it shall be given you." 

Matt. 7: 7 
"Ye have not, because ye ask not." 

Jas. 4:2 

We all know by experience how uncomfortable and sick- 
ening it is to be in a room where there is lack of air. We 
spend no longer time in such a room than we have to, and as 
soon as we get outside of its walls into the fresh air we take 
a long, deep breath. And then we say, "I pity the people 
who have to live in that choky, sickening atmosphere, and I 
thank God for the fresh and bracing air." 

And yet, while hardly a person would care to live in a 
room where fresh air is lacking, scores of Christians live in a 
spiritual atmosphere that is worse than the worst tenement 
hole that ever was called a home. There are Christians in 
great number who hardly ever get a breath of fresh air for 
their soul. It is the stale, murky, foul air of the spiritual 
tenement that they breathe day after day. They are shut in. 
They live in the shadow and in foul dampness. The heavenly 
air and stirring winds do not reach them. There is no sun- 
shine, and consequently no light and happiness in their soul. 
Outwardly they may sometimes manage to keep up a good 
appearance, so that the passerby is given the impression that 
light and sunshine and fresh air are abundant, while inside of 
their soul is nothing but darkness and misery. 

The trouble with such Christians is that the windows of 
their souls are not open. The air can't get in. In other 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 79 

words, they suffer for lack of prayer. For it is prayer that 
opens the soul to the pure air that surrounds the very throne 
of God. It is prayer that brings the winds of the Spirit to the 
soul, causing the murky, foul, choking air of sin to be dis- 
pelled. Lack of prayer shuts out the air of heaven. Lack of 
prayer is the cause of spiritual despair. Lack of prayer in 
some cases causes semi-consciousness, so that the deplorable 
condition of the life of the soul is not even realized, just as 
some poor denizens of the sunless tenement seem not to be 
aware of their state. And the awful sad part of it is that so 
many Christians, perhaps most of them, live in that deplor- 
able spiritual condition; that their life is almost choked for 
lack of air, caused by lack of prayer. 

That this is so needs no argument. The condition that I 
just referred to is so prevalent and it is so pronounced that 
no earnest Christian mind will need further proof. Nor is it 
necessary to speak in detail of the seriousness of this spirit- 
ual malady. And neither is there any need of showing that 
the general cause is lack of prayer. Did not Jesus say, "Ask 
and it shall be given you," and did He not urge his people to 
pray without ceasing, assuring them that God would surely 
hear and richly bless them ? And did not the Holy Spirit say 
through James, "Ye have not, because ye ask not" ? Lack of 
prayer is, without doubt, the great cause of the sad condition 
of many Christian souls. 

Now let us very seriously consider a few causes for this 
lack of prayer. 

Remember that we are not now thinking of hindrances in 
prayer, which were considered previously. We are thinking 
now of lack of prayer, and must find some reasons for that. 

One of the first and main reasons for lack of prayer and 
the subsequent spiritual darkness and lifelessness is the 
carnality of our nature. Sin has so spoiled our taste for real, 
heavenly, life-giving things and has so filled us with desires 
for the material, sensual things of the world that the nat- 
ural desires are contrary to this exercise and life of prayer. 
And so strong is this natural tendency that even children of 
God easily fall back into the old habit of living without 



80 THINGSOFTHESPIRIT 

prayer and without air. So that, while conscious of the fact 
that they need this air and must seek it in prayer, they are 
overpowered by the contrary desire for the atmosphere of 
sin. It is like people having windows in their house to let 
the air in, but who don't like to take the trouble to open 
them. They will say, Yes, the windows ought to be open to 
let in some air, but they don't get up and open them. Just 
so do many Christians. They will say: Yes, I know, I ought 
to seek God in prayer much more than I do; I know that 
every blessing is from Him and that 'He giveth liberally, and 
upbraideth not;' I know that it is my fault and not God's 
that my spiritual life is so barren and gloomy.'^ And yet 
these very same Christians will live on and on in that same 
spiritual condition until finally even the consciousness of their 
terrible spiritual pdverty is dulled by continual neglect of 
prayer. "They have not because they ask not." 

If any of my readers is in that deplorable condition, I 
urge you to immediately seek God's face; not merely with 
the acknowledgement that you have neglected your great 
Christian duty and privilege, but seek God's face with the 
humble confession of the terrible sin of shutting out from 
your life the light of heaven. Pray God not merely for light, 
but pray Him above all for forgiveness, that you have been 
seeking the murkiness of sin and have neglected the grace of 
God, given upon prayer. 

Remember that before God can show you his blessed grace 
and let his glorious countenance light your inner and outer 
life, you must, absolutely must, confess the sin of your car- 
nality. Too many Christians have not taken this matter of 
neglecting prayer serious enough. They think that they can 
just step back to the higher plane of spiritual life where the 
soul communes with God and the Spirit lights the way. But 
that cannot be done. The soul that has neglected this great 
and gracious privilege of seeking God in prayer must come 
back to God as the prodigal came back, who said: "Father, I 
have sinned against heaven and before thee and I am no 
more worthy to be called thy son." 

My Christian friend, when you do not live in constant 
fellowship with God through prayer, you have not merely 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 81 

robbed yourself of great blessings, but you have also despised 
these blessings, and you have chosen the husks of the world 
instead. That must be penitently confessed before the Lord. 
And then you may again "ask and it shall be given you." 
And then you shall find that the Father has the rich banquet 
of heavenly bounties spread for you. 



XVII 
LACK OF PRAYER 
2. Satan as a Cause of It 



"Ask and it shall be given you." 

Matt. 7:7 
"Ye have not, because ye ask not." 

Jas. 4:2 

A second reason or cause for lack of prayer — very closely 
related to the first which, as we have seen, was the carnality 
of our nature — is the influence of Satan. 

Satan, the great adversary of God and of God's people, 
who himself refused to honor God, but rebelled against Him, 
is trying hard to keep people away from the throne of God. 
And that great enemy of our soul has more to do with the 
deplorable fact of lack of prayer among God's people than 
we realize. 

There has been a time when Christian people thought a 
great deal more seriously about the dangers of Satan's in- 
fluence than they do today. His cunningness and the hidi- 
ousness of his character were often pictured in sermons and 
writings in a manner that was intended to create a strong 
revolt and great fear of him. Undoubtedly this was often 
exaggerated, so that sometimes the opposite effect was made 
upon some minds than was intended. 

But in our carnal, materialistic, unspiritual age people 
do not realize enough that Satan is not a myth, but a per- 
son, a person of "great power" and of the utmost evil design. 
Also children of God have to a large extent consigned Satan 



82 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

and his host to obscurity, never realizing that he is the ready 
partner and often the powerful director of our carnal mind 
and the desires of the flesh. 

The Word of God gives us many warnings against Satan 
and his wiles; it admonishes us to remember that we have to 
fight against him and that we need the "whole armour of God" 
if we are to "stand against the principalities, powers, rulers of 
the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high 
places." And after the apostle has given a description of this 
armour of God, he goes on to say: "Praying always with all 
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto 
with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6: 
10-18). In order to pray we must fight, for the devil blocks the 
way to the throne of God; we must wrestle against him, for he 
will not easily go out of our way. 

We need not enumerate in what various ways Satan is 
trying to keep God's children from praying right. These 
schemes of Satan are legion. We even read in Dan. 10: 13 
that the answer to Daniel's prayer was delayed for twenty- 
one days because Gabriel, the messenger of God, was held 
back so long by the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" and 
could only succeed in coming to Daniel with God's answer 
when "Michael, one of the chief princes," came to Gabriel's 
assistance. And in verse 20 of that same chapter the angel 
Gabriel says: "And now will I return to fight with the prince 
of Persia." Dr. Scofield in his reference Bible very aptly 
remarks here: "The intimation is clear that as the holy 
angels are sent forth in behalf of the heirs of salvation, so 
demons are concerned in behalf of the world-system of Sa- 
tan." If then Satan and his angels try to prevent God's holy 
messengers from serving God's people in answer to their 
prayer, how much more will it be true that these same evil 
spirits will do all in their power to keep us from praying. 
No wonder then that Paul exhorts us, as does also our Lord 
Jesus Christ, to "watch in prayer." 

Satan doesn't want us to pray, and at every prayer that 
we make he is busy to prevent it or to spoil it. Therefore we 
find in Scripture so many intimations of Satan's presence 
and activity when God's children pray. As the devil sneaked 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 8S 

in when "the sons of God came to present themselves before 
the Lord" in the days of Job (1: 7; 2: 1), so he has done ever 
since when any soul has tried to lift up itself to God in 
prayer. 

See it also in the life of our Lord. When He was in the 
wilderness in prayer and fasting, and when He was praying 
in Gethsemane, Satan was there with his fierce temptations. 
Also in both instances the good angels were present to serve 
and strengthen the Lord. 

^ 4: H: ^ 4: 

Watch therefore this mighty adversary, Satan, and seek 
divine aid when you pray. 

Watch him, tha' he does not ensnare you in his nets of 
formalism, so that 3; our heart is not in it when your lips move 
and when you are speaking to God. 

Watch him, that he does not scatter the seeds of doubt 
and unbelief in yovr soul, so that your prayer is not "the 
prayer of faithJ* 

Watch him, that he does not cause you to become despon- 
dent, by telling you that God will not hear your prayer. 

Prayer is your greatest weapon against the devil, there- 
fore he uses all his diabolical influence to prevent it or to 
cause your prayers to be evil. The devil himself knows what 
a powerful weapon prayer is. Therefore this renegade angel 
fears it and tries to choke it off. And therefore you must 
watch and pray. 

Let us not be so influenced by him that we no longer 
"pray without ceasing." On the other hand, knowing his 
wiles to be many, and his power to be great, let us more than 
ever seek the power of Almighty God against this great ad- 
versary. 

When the thought comes into our mind that perhaps we 
will not be heard, or that prayer is not of much avail, or that 
we can as well postpone praying when the season is more 
convenient or when we "feel like it," then is the time that 
we should be on our guard against Satan. Then is the time 
to "pray without ceasing." 



84 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

People of God, remember that the time has not yet come 
that "the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused 
them before our God day and night" (Rev. 12: 10). He is yet 
among us. And, though his power is limited, yet he has 
"great wrath," because he "knoweth that he hath but a short 
time." 

God had called our attention to this enemy as He exhorts 
us to use our children's prerogative. He says: "Watch and 
pray." If we forget or neglect to do that, our adversary will 
wield diabolical influence over our life and cause us untold 
misery. 

But if, in the name of Him who conquered sin and Satan, 
we bow humbly before the Father's throne, we shall find his 
rich storehouse of grace open to us; and when we ask it 
shall be given unto us, even when legions of devils should 
try to prevent it. 



XVIII 

LACK OF PRAYER 

3, The World as a Cause of It. 



"Ask and it shall be given you." 

Matt. 7: 7 
"Ye have not, because ye ask not." 

Jas. 4:2 

A third and final reason which we mention as a cause for 
lack of prayer in the life of many of God's people is the in- 
fluence of the world. And by that I do not mean so much the 
corruptions and evils of those that live heart and soul in the 
world, as I mean worldly habits and the worldly tenor and 
mode of modem life. 

It is more difficult now to live close to God and to com- 
mune with Him in prayer, as it was a century or more ago. 
Modem life has become so complicated and everything is 
rushed along at such tremendous speed, that a very large 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 85 

number of Christians have fallen into a deplorable neglect 
of prayer. 

True, the rush and hurry and worry of modem life should 
not be an excuse for any Christian who finds that his pray- 
ers are becoming fewer and less ardent. Every Christian 
must also watch against this enemy of our soul. But it is 
true, notwithstanding, that the life of many a Christian is 
so extremely rushed and crowded, that it almost inevitably 
has crowded out his prayers. 

Not only is this true of Christians that live in busy cities, 
but also the hamlet and the country has lost its air of quiet 
and peace; even there the feverish, rushing spirit of the age 
has made its inroads and has caused restlessness and haste 
in almost every home and heart. 

Everything in regard to time is measured by minutes, 
and even by seconds. Every member of the family is saying 
"hurry up" to the other members. There is hardly any day 
that a person can say that he got ready with the day's work. 
We are living in such a continual rush that "a man hardly 
has time to stop and tie his shoestring, and we are allowing 
the rush of things to steal our minds away from God." 
***** 

These things ought not to be so. 

For one thing, the Christian should not model his life 
after the example of those that merely live for this world. 
He must so conduct his business in this world, that there is 
opportunity for quiet meditation and prayer. He may not 
burden himself with so many cares, and he may not allow 
himself to become so entwined in the complicated affairs of 
the world, that the time for communion with God is short- 
ened by it, or that the quiet preparation of his soul to meet 
his God becomes an impossibility. "This sore travail hath 
God given to the sons of men to be exercised (afflicted) 
therewith" (Eccl. 1: 13), but God's children have other things, 
higher things to occupy their minds. They must "seek first 
the kingdom of God and its righteousness," and therefore 
also seek constant communion with their Father in prayer. 

A Christian, therefore, before entering upon any task in 
life, must first consider whether it will interfere with his 



86 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

prayer-life. If it does, he must try to overcome it or quit. 
Not every kind of business is the business for a Christian to 
be engaged in. Nor is every method of conducting one's 
business or daily affairs the right method for a Christian to 
follow. 

It is sometimes said that one can pray everywhere, and 
even while busily working at some speed-requiring task. 
That is true. But it is very doubtful whether they that say 
this are practicing it. And even if they are seeking God in 
prayer between the busy and nervous customers in their 
shop or behind the desk in the office, or at any other place 
where they may be working at their appointed task, there 
should be some time left when each Christian seeks God in 
the quietude of his home sanctuary. We must be alone with 
God on the mountain of prayer. We must seek to be away 
from all rush and hurry, and spend a goodly portion of the 
time in communion with the Father. The Christian that does 
not do that is robbing himself of the greatest blessing that a 
man can obtain in this world. He is bringing his soul to a 
condition where it exists on starvation rations. 

Very often nowadays Christian people will be saying that 
they have no time for a certain work in the interest of God's 
kingdom. I would say: make time for it by seeking God in 
prayer. As a rule, Christians that have not time for any 
work in the church or in the interest of God's kingdom are 
those that do not pray much. Our Lord was sometimes so 
busy that He found no time to eat, but He always found time 
to pray and often spent a while night in prayer. Let not 
the influence of the world and the pressure of modern life 
rob you of the best in your earthly life: your communion 
with God. And say not that you have no time for prayer, 
for you would not be telling the truth. 

"No time to pray! 
Oh, who so fraught with earthly care 
As not to give to humble prayer 

Some part of day? 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 87 

"No time to pray! 
'Mid each day's dangers, what retreat 
More needful than the mercy seat? 

Who need not pray? 

"No time to pray! 
Must care of business' urgent call 
So press us as to take it all, 

Each passing day? 

What thought more drear 
Than that our God his face should hide. 
And say, through all life's swelling tide. 

No time to hear!" 

Christians, watch these three enemies of our soul and of 
prayer: our sinful, carnal nature; Satan and his alli^; the 
influence of the world. 



XIX 
FIXED SEASONS OF PRAYER 



"As for me, I will call upon God; 

evening and morning, and at noon will I 
pray." Ps. 55: 16, 17 

"And his windows being open toward 
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees 
three times a day, and prayed, and gave 
thanks before his God." Dan. 6: 10 

The very easiest form of worship is prayer. It requires 
no great learning, nor is it necessary to use many words. It 
is merely the believing soul speaking to God. 

Yet one greatly undervalues the sacredness and solemnity 
of prayer, and its meaning in the life of a Christian, if he 
should consider prayer, <>f iittle importance, or if he should 



88 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

consider prayer of little importance, or if he should think 
that any kind of prayer is right. 

Because prayer is communion with God, speaking with 
lips of faith and hearts of thankfulness; and because all 
traces of formality, ceremony and servility should be absent, 
therefore it requires the deepest reverence and the most 
child-like simplicity. 

Consequently we cannot pray right, when we pray in a 
haphazard way. We must not before time invent and formu- 
late our prayers, but we must be in a prayerful attitude. Our 
soul must be trained for this simple worship, so that our 
prayer is indeed communion with God. 

And one of the best ways of right training of the soul 
for prayer is to have fixed seasons of prayer, to pray at set 
times of the day, and never to depart from it. As our body 
has become accustomed to set times of eating and drinking, 
so our soul ought to be trained to the habit of praying at 
regular intervals. 



To have fixed seasons of prayer was the custom of all 
earnest. God-fearing Israelites. There are many examples 
of this kind in Scripture, and the general exhortation of the 
Lord sems to indicate that this custom was approved of by 
Him. We may be reasonably sure that it was not merely a 
custom of the pious Israelites, but generally recommended 
by the priests and prophets. 

The Scripture verses upon which our present meditation 
is based refer to two incidents of this kind. Let us just look 
at them. 

It is David, the man after God's own heart, who speaks ,in 
Ps. 55 and says: "As for me, I will call upon God." He speaks 
here of the wicked who were plotting against him, trying to 
do all the mischief they could. And the chief actor in this 
plotting was a former close friend of David (perhaps he re- 
fers to Ahithopel.) Now he says that he would not follow 
their course by counterplots, but he would commit himself to 
the Lord, and He is sure that thfi Lprd will hear him. And 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 89 

then he further says: "Evening, and morning, and at noon 
will I pray." Even while sorely oppressed and perhaps flee- 
ing* from his treacherous enemies he would continue his cus- 
tomary prayers at the regular season. 

Nothing could swerve him from his habit of seeking the 
Lord in prayer at fixed seasons of the day. He would begin 
the day with God as usual (evening was the beginning of 
the Jewish day), and commit himself to the Keeper of Israel, 
who neither sleeps nor slumbers. In the morning, as he arose 
from his sleep, his heart he would lift up in prayer to God. 
And at noon, in the heat of day and sometimes in the midst 
of affliction, he would again turn to the God of his salvation, 
who had delivered his soul and who would also deliver him 
from his human enemies. So we see that David could not 
be induced to change his custom of praying at regular times 
of the day. And remember that these three seasons of the 
day do not have anything to do with the meal-times, as is 
often thought; these were seasons of prayer when David 
sought his God in quiet and alone. 

The other example of prayer at fixed seasons is that of 
Daniel the prophet. He was at the court of King Darius in 
Babylon. Everybody knew that an "excellent spirit" was in 
Daniel. There was none in the whole kingdom so wise and 
of so great service to the king than this captive Jew, Daniel. 
And, as it usually does, this superiority of Daniel roused the 
hatred of other men at the court. They tested him at every 
point in order that they might find some irregularity in his 
conduct on which to base their demand for his downfall; but 
they "could find none occasion or fault, forasmuch as he was 
faithful." 

Finally they conclude that they could only find occasion 
against Daniel in the matter of his religion, and perhaps 
they also somewhat understood that it was Daniel's religion 
that made him the excellent man that he was. So they 
plotted to his downfall along that line. They appealed to the 
vanity of their king by proposing that he assume the role of 
God for thirty days, and sign an edict whereby no man was 
allowed to ask anything of any God. Of course, Daniel was 



90 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

not mentioned in this writing, but the whole decree was noth- 
ing but a trap for Daniel. 

But a man that fears God cannot be put down by human 
decrees. Daniel went on praying as usual. Many a Chris- 
tian would have said: "I will not pray openly and at the 
regular seasons of prayer now. I can as well pray in secret, 
and I can as well pray at some other time, when nobody is 
watching me." Not so Daniel. You may call Daniel a 
fanatic if you like; it makes no difference to him. They can 
kill him if they desire to do so, but he will pray as usual, and 
he will not even close his window. He does not debate the 
matter at all; he just goes on as usual. Only two considera- 
tions enter into his soul: the first is that he must obey God 
rather than man, and the second is that even if they kill his 
body, they cannot do more than that; they cannot touch his 
soul. Daniel was looking after the honor of his God and 
after the welfare of his own soul. Therefore he would not 
suspend his prayer for thirty days or even for one day. Yea, 
he would not even neglect his custom of praying at regular 
seasons. 

^ ^ ^ Mii ^ 

Let us have these two examples of prayer-at-fixed-seasons 
before our mind. They certainly show us the need of it. And 
they show us also the blessed result of it. Have your fixed 
seasons and do not depart from the custom. 

And let us also have another example before our mind. 
Look at that lonely figure going up the side of the mountain 
in Galilee toward the setting of the day and see Him come 
back in the early morning. He has spent the night in prayer. 
And his name is Jesus. 

Again, see Him go to the Mount of Olives, his disciples 
following. It is the night of his betrayal, and He knows it. 
But He will not depart from his habit of prayer. He goes 
"as He was wont" (Luke 22:39), and He is on his knees 
when the enemy was almost ready to lay hands on Him. Let 
us follow the Lord's example of prayer at fixed seasons. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 91 

XX 
THE JOY AND COMFORT OF PRAYER 



"I will make them joyful in my house 
of prayer." Isa. 56: 7 

"And they that know thy name will put 
their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, has 
not forsaken them that seek thee." 

Ps. 9: 10 

Scores of God's admonitions to pray are followed by 
promises of joy and comfort. The prayer of faith is not a 
solemn formality, but it is communion with the Father; it is 
making requests in the name of Christ. And such a prayer 
is never without effect. Even before that prayer is definitely 
answered, it has its blessed effect upon the believer. If our 
attitude to God is right, our talking to God and communion 
with God in prayer gives joy and comfort. 

This is so even with a child that makes requests to its 
parents. The dutiful and obedient child finds it a joy to come 
to its parents with a request for something. And it derives 
great comfort from coming to its parents in seasons of trou- 
ble and sorrow to make those troubles known to them and to 
ask their help. Often before the answer is given or the re- 
quest is granted, the face of such a child is lit with joy and 
the tears of trouble are dried up. The reason for it is that 
the child knows that its parents care for him, and that they 
will grant all legitimate requests that it is in their power to 
grant. And it knows that parents understand him and fully 
sympathize with him. And because of the love that has knit 
parents and child together that child derives joy and comfort 
from the mere presence of its parents. 

Now, it is the great privilege of every child of God to 
come to the Lord in prayer and find Him to be a constant 
source of joy and comfort. The Lord has put himself, as it 
were, at the disposal of his children, and they are invited, and 
even urged, to come to Him with their desires and their 
troubles. And He has assured them that He will make them 
joyful, and He will not forsake them that seek Him. He may 



92 THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 

not answer our prayers in just the way that seemed best to 
us. He may keep us waiting for the answer for a short or 
even a long: period. But "the Lord is mindful" of his chil- 
dren, and when they come to Him in a humble, childlike at- 
titude, He makes them welcome. And He will assure them 
in their heart that it is pleasing to Him that they put their 
trust in Him and seek Him. 

Of course, a worldly-minded person will not understand 
this kind of logic. The worldly-minded heart is like the dis- 
obedient, wilful child; it has no affection for its parents. All 
it cares for is to have its desires granted immediately. But 
the affectionate child enjoys the presence of its parents. It 
finds so much pleasure in the presence of its parents that it 
will often come to them to talk with them. It desires com- 
munion, more than it desires certain things that it asks for. 
The greatest gift to an affectionate child is the love of its 
parents, and it enjoys that most when it can be with them 
and talk with them. 

It is exactly so with God^s children when they are in the 
right attitude to their Father. Prayer is to them a never- 
failing source of joy and comfort. The thought of commun- 
ing with their Father so elates them that they will avail 
themselves of almost every opportunity to speak with Him. 
It is true what Christmas Evans once said: "Prayer is the 
rope up in the belfry: we pull it, and it rings the bell up in 
heaven." Sure, and the music of that bell floods the soul 
with joy, for it is the Father that speaks through it. Chris- 
tians who were leaders in the Church of Christ and in other 
walks of life, were all men that derived their joy and com- 
fort and their strength for the work they performed, in toll- 
ing the bell and listening for its sound. They did not count 
it time lost, but time saved when they spent hours in prayer 
to their heavenly Father. Luther said once: "I have so much 
to do that I cannot get along with less than three hours a 
day of praying." It was prayer that put the sunshine in 
their life and that gave them strength for the duties and 
conflicts of life. 

:fc ^ ^ 4c ^ 

Are we getting that joy and comfort out of prayer? If 
not, we should be looking for the reasons for it. 



THINGS OF THE SPIRIT 93 

Perhaps we are not praying at fixed seasons. It may be 
that we are not taking our "spiritual morning bath" regu- 
larly. Sir Matthew Hale said: "If I omit praying and read- 
ing God's Word in the morning, nothing goes well all day." 

"Just a word with Jesus before the day begins; 

Just a plea for guidance a day of blessing wins; 

Just a moment's waiting in silence at his feet; 

Just to hear Him whisper his words of counsel sweet." 

Irregularity in the habits of prayer is a very common 
reason for not getting joy and comfort out of prayer. We 
must keep our appointments with our God more strictly than 
we do with our employers or associates in business. 

Or we may be overburdened with labors, so that we are 
living under a continual strain. It may be that our mind is 
in such a hurried state that we cannot think and speak to 
God quietly and calmly. If that is the case, we must get 
some of these things off our mind, and it may even be neces- 
sary to change our occupation. 

Or it may be that we are trying to serve two masters. 
That is true of many Christians today, I fear. Of course, 
the comfort of prayer can never be ours while we remain in 
that state. Prayer must be a burden; it certainly cannot be 
a joy. Our duty then is to break away from the other master 
and serve Christ only. Our prayer should be for mercy and 
forgiveness, and our cry to God must be: "Break down ev'ry 
idol; cast out ev'ry foe." 

Let us seek more the joy and comfort of prayer. There 
is none like it. 

May God grant it to his people in an ever increasing 
measure. 

T* •»* T* *t* n* 

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, 
and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory 
with exceeding joy, to the ofily wise God, our Savior, be glory 
and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." 

END 



